IRLF 


GREAT 
CITIES 

OF  THE 

UNIT, 

^**m*mttwy 


SOUTHWOMH 
AND  KRAMER 


\ 


BUILDING  A  SKYSCRAPER 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES 


HISTORICAL,  DESCRIPTIVE,  COMMERCIAL 
INDUSTRIAL 

BY 

GERTRUDE  VAN  DUYN  SOUTHWORTH 

AUTHOR  OF  "BUILDERS  OF  OUR  COUNTRY,"  BOOKS  i  AND  n 

"THE  STORY  OF  THE  EMPIRE  STATE,"  AND 

"A  FIRST  BOOK  IN  AMERICAN  HISTORY" 

AND 

STEPHEN  ELLIOTT  KRAMER 

ASSISTANT  SUPERINTENDENT  OF   SCHOOLS,  WASHINGTON1,  D.C. 


IROQUOIS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY,  INC. 

SYRACUSE,  NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT,    IQl6,    IQ22,   BY 

GERTRUDE  VAN  DUYN  SOUTH  WORTH  AND 
STEPHEN  ELLIOTT  KRAMER 


ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 
31G.2 


iv 


PREFACE 

Just  as  the  history  of  a  country  is  largely  the  history 
of  its  great  men,  so  the  geography  of  a  country  is  largely 
the  story  of  its  great  cities. 

How  much  more  easily  history  is  grasped  and  remem 
bered  when  grouped  around  attractive  biographies.  With 
great  cities  as  the  .centers  of  geography-study,  what  is 
generally  considered  a  dry,  mat ter-of -fact  subject  can  be 
made  to  attract,  to  inspire,  and  to  fix  the  things  which 
should  be  remembered. 

This  book,  "  Great  Cities  of  the  United  States,"  in 
cludes  the  largest  cities  of  this  country,  together  with 
San  Francisco,  New  Orleans,  and  Washington.  In  it 
the  important  facts  of  our  country's  geography  have  been 
grouped  around  these  cities.  The  story  of  Chicago  includes 
the  story  of  farming  in  the  Middle  West,  of  the  great  ore 
industry  on  and  around  the  Great  Lakes,  and  of  the  varied 
means  of  transportation.  Cotton,  sugar,  and  location  are 
shown  to  account  largely  for  the  greatness  of  New  Or 
leans.  In  a  similar  way,  the  stories  of  the  other  cities 
sum  up  the  important  geography  of  our  country. 

Enough  of  the  history  of  each  city  is  given  to  show  its 
growth  and  development.  The  distinctive  points  of  inter 
est  are  described  so  that  one  feels  acquainted  with  the 
things  which  attract  the  sight-seer.  The  commercial  and 
industrial  features  are  made  to  stand  out  as  the  logical 


vi         GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

sequence  of  fortunate  location  for  manufacturing,  for 
securing  raw  materials,  for  markets,  and  for  convenient 
means  of  transportation. 

In  order  to  make  uniformly  fair  comparisons,  local 
statistics  have  been  ignored  and  all  data  have  been  taken 
from  the  latest  government  reports. 

The  authors  wish  to  express  their  sincere  appreciation 
to  the  historical  societies,  to  the  chambers  of  commerce, 
to  those  in  the  various  cities  who  have  furnished  material 
and  reviewed  the  manuscript,  and  to  all  others  who  have 
rendered  assistance. 

It  is  hoped  that  by  the  use  of  this  book  our  country, 
in  all  its  greatness,  will  mean  more  and  will  appeal  more 
to  the  boys  and  girls  of  America  than  ever  before. 

To  the  publishers  of  Allen's  "  Geographical  and  Indus 
trial  Studies:  United  States"  we  are  indebted  for  the  use 
of  the  map  appearing  at  the  end  of  the  text. 

THE  AUTHORS 


CONTENTS 


V^PI 


PAGE 

NEW  YORK     ........................  3 

CHICAGO      .........................  41 

PHILADELPHIA    ...    ...................  67 

l5ETROIT     .........................  89 

CLEVELAND   .....    ............    .    ......  107 

ST.  LOUIS    .........................  125 

BOSTON    ..........................  141 

BALTIMORE  ........................  173 

PITTSBURGH  ........................  189 

BUFFALO     .........................  207 

SAN  FRANCISCO      .....................  227 

ORLEANS     ......................  245 

WASHINGTON   .....    .................    .  265 

REFERENCE  TABLES    ...................  300 

INDEX  .  305 


vn 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


THE  MUNICIPAL  BUILDING 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES 

NEW  YORK 

"  Drop  anchor ! "  rang  out  the  command  as  the  little 
Dutch  vessel  furled  her  sails.  On  every  side  were  the 
shining  waters  of 
a  widespread  bay, 
while  just  ahead 
stretched  the  forest- 
covered  shores  of 
an  island. 

All  on  board  were 
filled  with  excite 
ment,  wondering 
what  lay  beyond. 
"Have  we  at  last 
really  found  a  water 
way  across  this  new 

land  of  America  ?  "  they  asked.    There  was  only  one  way 
to  know  —  to  go   and  see.     So  on  once  more,  past  the 

3 


INDIANS   VISITING  THE  HALF  MOON 


4      GK^AT.CITLES  OF.  THE  UNITED  STATES 

island,  glided  the  Half  Moon.  From  time  to  time,  as  she 
sailed  along,  the  redskin  savages  visited  her  and  traded 
many  valuable  furs  for  mere  trifles. 

But  at  last  the  Half  Moon  could  go  no  further.  This 
was  not  a  waterway  to  India,  only  a  river  leading  into  the 
depths  of  a  wild  and  rugged  country.  Sick  with  disappoint 
ment,  her  captain,  Henry  Hudson,  turned  about,  journeyed 


"MY  BROTHERS,  WE  HAVE  COME  TO  TRADE  WITH  YOU" 

the  length  of  the  river  which  was  later  to  bear  his  name, 
once  more  passed  the  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and 
sailed  away.  All  this  in  1609. 

Manhattan  was  the  Indian  name  for  the  island  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Hudson  River.  Tempted  by  Henry  Hudson's 
furs,  the  thrifty  Dutchmen  sent  ship  after  ship  to  trade 
with  the  American  Indians.  And  as  the  years  went  by, 
these  Dutchmen  built  a  trading  post  on  Manhattan,  and 


NEW  YOEK 


a  little  Dutch  village  grew  up  about  the  post.  Soon  the 
Dutch  West  India  Company  was  formed  to  send  out 
colonists  to  Manhattan  and  the  land  along  the  Hudson. 
A  governor  too  was  sent.  His  name  was  Peter  Minuit. 

Now  Peter  Minuit  was  honest,  and  when  he  found  that 
the  Dutch  were  living  on  Indian  land  to  which  they  had 
helped  themselves, 
he  was  not  con 
tent.  So  he  called 
together  the  tribes 
which  lived  on  Man 
hattan  and,  while 
the  painted  warriors 
squatted  on  the 
ground,  spoke  to 
them  in  words  like 
these  :  "  My  broth 
ers,  we  have  come 
to  trade  with  you. 
And  that  we  may 
be  near  to  buy  your 
furs  when  you  have 
gathered  them,  we 
wish  to  live  among  PETER  STUYVESANT 

you,  on  your  land. 

It  is  your  land,  and  as  we  do  not  mean  to  steal  it  from 
you,  I  have  asked  you  to  meet  me  here  that  I  may 
buy  from  you  this  island  which  you  call  Manhattan." 
Then,  in  payment  for  the  island,  Peter  Minuit  offered 
the  Indians  ribbons,  knives,  rings,  and  colored  beads  — 
things  dearly  loved  by  the  savages.  The  bargain  was 


6 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


soon  closed,  and  for  twenty -four  dollars'  worth  of  trinkets 
the  Dutch  became  the  owners  of  Manhattan  Island. 

The  Dutch  settlement  on  Manhattan  was  called  New 
Amsterdam.  New  Amsterdam  was  a  pretty  town,  with  its 
quaint  Dutch  houses  built  gable  end  toward  the  street  and 
its  gardens  bright  with  flowers.  Dutch  windmills  with 


NEW  YORK  IN  OLDEN  TIMES 

their  long  sweeping  arms  rose  here  and  there,  and  near 
the  water  stood  the  fort. 

But  though  New  Amsterdam  grew  and  prospered  in 
the  years  after  Peter  Minuit  bought  Manhattan,  life  there 
did  not  run  as  smoothly  as  it  might.  In  time  Peter 
Stuyvesant  came  to  be  governor,  and  a  stern,  tyrannical 
ruler  he  was.  He  always  saw  things  from  the  Dutch 


NEW  YOKK 


West  India  Company's  point  of  view,  not  from  the  colo 
nists'.  Disagreement  followed  disagreement  till  the  people 
were  nearly  at  the  end  of  their  patience. 

Then,  one  day  in  1664,  an  English  fleet  sailed  into  the 
bay.  A  letter  was  brought  ashore  for  Governor  Stuyvesant. 
England  too,  so  it 
seemed,  laid  claim 
to  this  land  along 
the  Hudson  River* 
and  now  asked  the 
Dutch  governor  to 
give  up  his  col 
ony  to  the  Duke 
of  York,  a  brother 
of  England's  king. 
This  done,  the  Dutch 
colonists  could  keep 
their  property,  and 
all  their  rights  and 
privileges.  In  fact, 
even  greater  privi 
leges  would  then 
be  given  them. 

In  a  towering 
rage  Governor  Stuyvesant  tore  the  letter  into  bits  and 
stamped  upon  them  and  called  upon  his  colonists  to  rise 
and  help  him  repulse  the  English.  But  the  colonists 
would  not  rise.  They  felt  that  there  was  nothing  to 
gain  by  so  doing.  The  English  promised  much,  far  more 
than  they  had  had  under  the  rule  of  tyrannical  Peter 
Stuyvesant  and  the  Dutch  West  India  Company. 


WASHINGTON  TAKING  THE  OATH  OF 
OFFICE 


GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


What  could  the  governor  do  ?  Surely  he  alone  could 
not  defeat  the  English  fleet.  So  at  last,  sorrowfully  and 
reluctantly,  he  signed  a  surrender,  and  the  Dutch  Colony 
was  given  over  to  the  English. 

Once  in  possession,  the  English  renamed  New  Amster 
dam,  calling  it  New  York.  Now  followed  a  hundred  years 
of  ever-increasing  river,  coast,  and  foreign  trade,  of  grow 
ing  industries,  of  prosperity.  And  then  —  the  Revolution. 

When  the  Decla 
ration  of  Independ 
ence  was  signed 
on  July  4,  1776, 
George  Washington 
and  his  army  were 
in  New  York,  guard- 
ing  the  city  from 
the  English.  But  be 
fore  the  close  of  the 
year  he  was  forced 
to  retreat,  and  the 
English  took  posses 
sion.  By  the  close 

of  the  Revolution,  in  1783,  the  English  had  robbed  the 
city  of  much  of  its  wealth  and  had  ruined  its  business. 
After  the  war  the  thirteen  states  who  had  won  their 
freedom  from  England  joined  together,  drew  up  a  consti 
tution  for  their  common  government,  and  chose  their  first 
president.  Then  came  the  thirtieth  of  April,  1789.  The 
streets  were  crowded,  and  a  great  throng  packed  the 
space  before  New  York's  Federal  Hall.  This  was  Inaugu 
ration  Day,  and  on  the  balcony  stood  General  Washington 


THE  FIRST  TRAIN  IN  NEW  YORK  STATE 


NEW  YORK  9 

taking  the  oath  of  office.  It  was  a  solemn  moment.  The 
ceremony  over,  a  mighty  shout  arose—  t!  Long  live  George 
Washington,  president  of  the  United  States."  Cheers 
tilled  the  air,  bells  pealed,  and  cannons  roared.  The  non 
government  had  begun,  and,  for  a  time,  New  York  was 
the  capital  city. 

Already  New  York  was  recovering  from  the  effects  of 
the  war.  Her  trade  with  European  ports  had  begun  again, 
and  it  was  no  uncommon  sight  to  see  over  one  hundred 
vessels  loading  or  unloading  in  her  harbor  at  one  time. 

New  York  harbor  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  in  the 
world.  Add  to  this  the  city's  central  location  on  the 
Atlantic  seaboard,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  a  vast  coasting 
trade  grew  up  with  Eastern  and  Southern  ports. 

"Without  doubt,  however,  the  greatest  business  event 
in  the  history  of  New  York  City  was  the  opening  of  the 
Erie  Canal  in  1825.  The  canal  joined  the  Great  Lakes 
with  the  Hudson  River,  making  a  water  route  from  the 
rich  Northwest  to  the  Atlantic,  with  New  York  as  the 
natural  terminus.  So  with  nearly  all  of  the  trade  of 
the  lake  region  at  her  command,  New  York  soon  became 
a  great  commercial  center,  outstripping  both  Boston  and 
Philadelphia,  which  up  to  this  time  had  ranked  ahead 
of  New  York. 

A  few  years  later  the  building  of  railroads  began. 
The  first  railway  from  New  York  was  begun  in  1881, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  the  city  was  the  terminus  of 
several  lines  and  the  chief  railroad  center  of  the  Atlantic 
coast.  As  the  railroads  did  more  and  more  of  the  carry 
ing,  and  the  Erie  Canal  lost  its  former  importance, 
New  York  did  not  suffer  from  the  change,  but  still 

2 — Aug.    23 


THE  BOROUGHS  OF  NEW  YORK  — ENTRANCES  TO  HER   HARBOR 


10 


NEW  YORK  11 

controlled  much  of  the  trade  between  the  Northwest  and 
European  nations.  Besides,  as  time  went  on,  she  built  up 
an  immense  traffic  with  all  parts  of  the  continent,  being 
easily  reached  by  rail  from  the  north,  east,  south,  and  west. 

The  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century  saw  the  arrival 
of  many  thousand  immigrants  from  Europe.  These,  with 
the  thousands  of  people  who  came  from  other  parts  of 
America,  attracted  by  the  city's  growing  industries,  made 
more  and  more  room  necessary.  First,  about  -13,000  acres 
across  the  Harlem  River  were  added  to  the  city.  Then, 
in  1895,  the  city  limits  were  extended  to  the  borders 
of  Yonkers  and  Mt.  Vernon.  And  finally,  in  1898, 
New  York,  Brooklyn,  Long  Island  City,  and  some  other 
near-by  towns  were  united  under  one  government,  forming 
together  Greater  New  York,  the  largest  American  city 
and  the  second  largest  city  in  the  world. 

New  York  to-day  covers  about  360  square  miles,  its  great 
est  length  from  north  to  south  being  32  miles,  its  greatest 
width  about  16.  The  city  is  divided  into  five  boroughs: 
Manhattan,  The  Bronx,  Brooklyn,  Queens,  and  Rich 
mond.  The  Borough  of  Manhattan,  on  the  long  narrow 
island  of  that  name,  lies  between  the  Hudson  and  the 
East  River.  North  and  east  of  Manhattan,  on  the  main 
land,  lies  the  Borough  of  The  Bronx.  Just  across  the 
narrow  East  River,  on  Long  Island,  are  the  boroughs  of 
Queens  and  Brooklyn ;  while  Staten  Island  is  known 
as  the  Borough  of  Richmond. 

As  more  and  more  people  came  to  the  city  the  busi 
ness  area  on  Manhattan  proved  too  small,  and  with  water 
to  the  east,  to  the  west,  and  to  the  south,  there  was 
no  possibility  of  spreading  out  in  these  directions.  Yet 


12       GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

business  kept  increasing,  and  the  cry  for  added  rooii, 
became  more  and  more  urgent.  Finally,  the  building 
of  the  ten-story  Tower  Building  in  1889  solved  the 


NEW  YORK  SKYSCRAPERS 


difficulty.  It  showed  that,  though  hemmed  in  on  all  sides, 
there  was  still  one  direction  in  which  the  business  section 
could  grow  —  upwards.  And  upwards  it  has  grown. 


NEW  YORK 


13 


To-day  lower  Manhattan  fairly  bristles  with  huge  steel- 
framed  skyscrapers  which  furnish  miles  and  miles  of 
office  space,  twenty,  thirty,  forty,  in  one  case  even  fifty- 
five,  stories  above  the  street  level.  The  supplying  of  office 
and  factory  space  is  not  the  only  use  that  has  been  made 
of  these  steel  build 
ings.  Great  apart 
ment  houses  from 
twelve  to  fifteen 
stories  high  provide 
homes  for  thou 
sands.  Mammoth 
hotels  covering  en 
tire  city  blocks 
furnish  temporary 
homes  for  the  mul 
titudes  which  visit 
the  city  each  year. 
Fifteen  of  the  larg 
est  of  these  can 
house  more  than 
15,000  guests  at  one 
time  —  a  good-sized 
city  in  itself.  Thus 
has  Manhattan  be 
come  one  of  the  most  densely  populated  areas  911  the 
globe.  In  the  boroughs  of  Queens  and  Richmond,  on  the 
other  hand,  large  tracts  of  land  are  given  over  to  farms 
and  market  gardens. 

Manhattan  is  at  once  the  smallest  and  the  most  impor 
tant  borough  in  the  city.     Here  are  the  homes   of  more 


HOW  A  SKYSCRAPER  IS  MADE 


14       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


than   2,000,000   people,   the   business   section   of   Greater 
New  York,  and  the  chief  shipping  districts. 

When  building  the  narrow  irregular  streets  of  their 
little  town  on  lower  Manhattan,  the  inhabitants  of  New 
Amsterdam  little  dreamed  that  they  would  one  day  be 

the  scene  of  the 
enormous  traffic  of 
modern  New  York. 
Those  old,  narrow, 
winding  streets  to 
day  swarm  with  hur 
rying  throngs  from 
morning  till  night 
and  are  among  the 
busiest  and  noisiest 
in  the  world. 

The  newer  part 
of  the  city  from 
Fourteenth  Street 
north  to  the  Harlem 
River  has  been  laid 
out  in  wide  paral 
lel  avenues  running 
north  and  south. 
These  are  crossed 
by  numbered  streets  running  east  and  west  from  river 
to  river.  Fifth  Avenue  runs  lengthwise  through  the 
middle  of  the  borough,  dividing  it  into  the  East  and 
West  sides.  On  the  East  Side  you  will  find  the  crowded 
homes  of  the  poorer  classes,  where  many  of  the  working 
people  of  Manhattan  live.  On  the  West  Side  are  many 


A  MAMMOTH  HOTEL 


NEW  YOKK 


15 


manufacturing  plants,  lumber  yards,  and  warehouses.  On 
the  upper  stretch  of  Fifth  Avenue,  and  on  the  streets  lead 
ing  off,  are  the  homes  of  many  of  New  York's  wealthiest 


FIFTH  AVENUE  FROM  THIRTY-FOURTH  STREET 

residents.     Opposite  Central  Park  are  some  of  the  most 
costly  and  beautiful  mansions  in  the  city. 

In  this  regular  arrangement  of  streets,  Broadway  alone 
is  the  exception  to  the  rule.     Beginning  at  the  southern 


16       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

end  of  the  island,  it  runs  straight  north  for  more  than 
two  miles,  then  turns  west  and  winds  its  way  throughout 
the  whole  length  of  the  city.  About  its  lower  end,  and 
on  some  of  the  neighboring  streets,  center  the  banking 
and  financial  interests.  Here  are  many  of  the  city's 
richest  banks  and  trust  companies. 


BROADWAY  CROSSING  SIXTH  AVENUE 

Wall  Street,  running  east  from  Broadway  about  one 
third  of  a  mile  from  the  southern  end  of  Manhattan,  was 
named  from  the  wall  which  the  Dutch,  in  1683,  built 
across  the  island  at  this  point,  because  they  heard  that 
the  English  were  planning  to  attack  them  from  the  north. 
Though  only  half  a  mile  in  length,  Wall  Street  probably 
surpasses  all  others  in  the  extent  of  its  business. 


NEW  YORK 


IT 


North  of  the  banking  center  is  the  great  wholesale  re 
gion,  where  merchants  from  all  parts  of  the  country  buy 
their  stock  in  large  quantities,  to  sell  again  to  the  retail 
merchants.  Beyond  the  wholesale  region  are  the  large 
retail  stores  —  New  York's  great  shopping  district.  In 
these  retail  stores 
the  merchants  who 
have  bought  from 
the  wholesalers  sell 
direct  to  the  peo 
ple  who  are  to  use 
the  goods.  In  this 
middle  section  of 
the  island  are  also 
most  of  the  better- 
class  hotels,  restau 
rants,  clubs,  and 
theaters,  which  have 
been  gradually  mak 
ing  their  way  fur 
ther  and  further 
uptown,  crowding 
the  best  resident 
section  still  further  WALL  STREET 

north. 

The  customhouse,  where  the  government  collects  duties 
on  goods  brought  into  the  port  of  New  York  from  other 
lands,  was  built  at  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  island, 
where  Fort  Amsterdam  used  to  stand.  The  United  States 
Sub-Treasury,  in  Wall  Street,  stands  on  the  site  of  Federal 
Hall,  where  Washington  was  inaugurated.  Here  are  stored 


II  Si  II 

21  §1  II  11  I 

11  IB  II  II  1 


18 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


large  quantities  of  gold,  silver,  and  paper  money  belong 
ing  to  the  government.  In  and  about  City  Hall  Park 
are  the  post  office,  the  courthouse,  and  the  Hall  of  Rec 
ords.  The  fine  public  library,  on  Fifth  Avenue  between 

Fortieth  and  Forty- 
second  streets,  is  the 
largest  library  building 
in  the  world. 

The  city's  parks  are 
many.  Central  Park, 
in  the  center  of  Man 
hattan,  ranks  among 
the  world's  finest  pleas 
ure  grounds.  It  is  two 
miles  and  a  half  long 
and  one-half  mile  wide, 
and  has  large  stretches 
of  woodland,  beautiful 
lawns,  gleaming  lakes, 
and  sparkling  foun 
tains.  Here,  too,  are  the 
Metropolitan  Museum 
of  Art  and  Cleopatra's 
Needle  --  an  obelisk 
thousands  of  years  old, 

CLEOPATRA'S  NEEDLE 

presented   to   the  city 

by  a  ruler  of  Egypt.  And  here  are  reservoirs  which  hold 
the  water  brought  by  aqueducts  from  the  Croton  River, 
about  forty  miles  north  of  the  city.  This  river  was  for 
many  years  the  sole  source  of  Manhattan's  water  supply. 
In  1905,  however,  the  city  began  work  on  an  immense 


NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


METROPOLITAN  MUSEUM  OF  ART 


19 


\ 


MANHATTAN  ISLAND  AND  THE  CITY  PARKS 


20 


NEW  YORK 


21 


aqueduct  which  brings  drinking-water  for  all  five  boroughs 
from  reservoirs  in  the  Catskill  Mountain  region. 

The  tomb  of  General  Grant  is  at  the  northern  end  of 
Riverside  Park,  which  is  on  a  high  ridge  along  the  Hud 
son  River  above  Seventy-second  Street.  Riverside  Drive, 
skirting  this  park,  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful 
boulevards  in  the  city. 

Then  there  are  Pros 
pect  Park  in  Brooklyn, 
and  Pelham  Bay  and 
Van  Cortlandt  parks  in 
The  Bronx.  The  city 
zoo  and  the  Botanical 
Gardens  are  in  Bronx 
Park.  And  in  addition 
to  all  these  there  are 
more  than  two  hundred 
smaller  open  spaces  and 
squares  scattered  over 
the  city. 

Columbia  University, 
New  York  University, 
Fordham,  the  College 
of  the  City  of  New  York,  and  Barnard  College  are 
among  the  most  noted  of  New  York's  many  educational 
institutions. 

Nearly  six  million  people  live  in  this  wonderful  city, 
and  to  supply  them  all  with  food  is  a  tremendous  busi 
ness  in  itself.  During  the  night  special  trains  bring  milk, 
butter,  and  eggs;  refrigerator  cars  come  laden  with  beef; 


THE  TOMB  OF  GENERAL  GRANT 


22       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

and  from  the  market  gardens  of  Long  Island  fruits  and 
vegetables  are  gathered  and  taken  to  the  city  during  the 
cool  of  the  night  that  they  may  be  sold,  fresh  and  inviting, 
in  the  morning. 

Great  numbers    of  New  York's   inhabitants    are    from 
foreign  lands.    Several  thousand  Chinese  manage  to  exist 


WHERE  THE  SEALS  LIVE  IX  BRONX  PARK 

in  the  few  blocks  which  make  up  New  York's  Chinatown. 
A  large  Italian  population  lives  huddled  together  in  Little 
Italy,  as  well  as  in  other  sections  of  the  city.  Thousands 
upon  thousands  of  Jews  are  crowded  into  the  Hebrew  sec 
tion  on  the  lower  east  side  of  Manhattan.  There  is  also 
a  German  and  a  French  colony,  as  well  as  distinct  Negro, 
Greek,  Russian,  Armenian,  and  Arab  quarters.  Most  of 


THE  ELEPHANT  HOUSE  IN   BRONX   PARK 


VISITING  THE  BIRDS  IN  BRONX  PARK 
23 


24       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

these  are  in  lower  Manhattan,  and  in  consequence  lower 
Manhattan  is  by  no  means  deserted  when  the  vast  army 
of  shoppers,  workers,  and  business  men  have  gone  home 
for  the  night. 

The  necessity  of  carrying  these  shoppers,  workers,  and 
business   men  to  and  from  their  homes  in  the  residence 


THE  OLD  AND  THE  NEW 


sections  of  the  city  and  in  the  suburbs  gradually  led  to 
the  development  of  New  York's  wonderful  rapid-transit 
system.  Within  the  borders  of  Manhattan  itself,  horse  cars 
soon  proved  unequal  to  handling  the  crowds  that  each  day 
traveled  north  and  south.  So  the  first  elevated  railway 
was  built.  Then  six  years  later,  a  second  line  was  con 
structed.  Others  soon  followed,  not  only  in  Manhattan 
but  also  in  Brooklyn  and  The  Bronx.  liaised  high  above 


NEW  YORK  25 

the  busy  streets  by  means  of  iron  trestles,  and  making 
but  few  stops,  these  elevated  trains  could  -carry  passen 
gers  much  faster  than  the  surface  cars,  and  for  a  time  the 
problem  seemed  to  be  solved. 

The  traveling  public  was  rapidly  increasing,  however, 
and  before  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century  both  the 


A  NEW   YORK  ELEVATED  RAILWAY 

surface  cars,  now  run  by  electricity,  and  the  elevated 
trains  were  sorely  overcrowded  during  the  morning  and 
evening  rush  hours.  More  cars  were  absolutely  necessary, 
and  as  there  was  little  room  to  run  them  on  or  above 
the  surface,  New  York  decided  to  make  use  of  the  space 
under  the  ground,  just  as  it  had  already  turned  to  account 
that  overhead. 


NEW  YOKK'S  FIRST  TWO-STORY  CAH 


A  SUBWAY   ENTRANCE 

20 


NEW  YORK 


27 


The  work  was  begun  in  1901.  A  small  army  of  men 
was  set  to  blasting  and  digging  tunnels  underneath  the 
city  streets,  —  a  tremendous  task,  —  and  in  1904  the  first 
subway  was  opened.  Electric  cars  running  on  these 
underground  tracks  carry  passengers  from  one  end  of  the 
island  to  the  other  with  the  speed  of  a  railroad  train. 


SUBWAY   TUNNELS 


But  what  of  the  means  of  travel  for  those  living  outside 
of  Manhattan  ?  Years  back,  business  men  living  on  Long 
Island  had  to  cross  the  East  River  on  ferry  boats.  This 
was  particularly  inconvenient  in  winter,  when  fogs  or 
floating  ice  were  liable  to  cause  serious  delays.  Besides, 
as  New  York  grew,  such  numbers  crossed  on  the  ferries 
that  they  were  overcrowded.  Relief  came  for  a  time  when, 


28       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

iii  1883,  the  Brooklyn  Bridge  was  built  over  the  East  River 
from  Brooklyn  to  New  York.  This  bridge  is  over  a  mile 
long.  Across  it  run  a  roadway,  a  walk  for  foot  passengers, 
and  tracks  for  elevated  trains  as  well  as  for  surface  cars. 
Two  even  longer  bridges,  the  Williamsburg  Bridge  and  the 


A  FERRY  BOAT 


Manhattan  Bridge,  have  since  been  built  between  Man 
hattan  and  Brooklyn.  Then,  too,  there  is  the  Queensboro 
Bridge,  between  Manhattan  and  the  Borough  of  Queens. 
Though  thousands  and  thousands  daily  crossed  the 
East  River  over  these  bridges,  men  soon  foresaw  that 
the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  ferries  and  bridges  to 
gether  would  be  unable  to  take  care  of  the  ever-growing 
traffic.  Further  means  of  travel  had  to  be  provided,  and 
the  success  of  the  city's  underground  railway  suggested  a 


NEW  YORK'S  SUBWAY  AND  BRIDGE  CONNECTIONS 


29 


30       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

practical  idea.  As  early  as  1908,  the  subway  was  con 
tinued  and  carried  under  the  East  River  to  Brooklyn. 
Several  tubes  have  since  been  built  under  the  Hudson, 
connecting  Manhattan  with  the  New  Jersey  shore.  To 
day  New  York  has  many  miles  of  subway  under  various 


BROOKLYN  BRIDGE 

parts  of  the  city  as  well  as  tubes  under  the  Harlem  and 
East  rivers.  Carrying  passengers  under  water  has  proved 
as  great  a  success  as  carrying  them  underground. 

Over  and  above  all  these  means  of  rapid  transit,  Greater 
New  York  has  at  its  service  ten  of  America's  orreat  rail- 

o 

roads.  The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  has  an  immense  station 
in  New  York,  one  of  the  finest  of  its  kind.  Tunnels  under 
the  Hudson  and  East  rivers  carry  its  trains  to  New  Jersey 
and  Long  Island. 


THE  PENNSYLVANIA   RAILROAD  STATION 


THE  GRAND  CENTRAL  STATION 


81 


32         GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

New  York's  Grand  Central  Station  is  the  greatest  railroad 
terminal  in  the  world.  The  station  is  a  beautiful  building 
of  stone  and  marble,  large  enough  to  accommodate  thirty 
thousand  people  at  one  time.  Between  railroads  and  tun 
nels,  bridges  and  ferries,  surface  cars,  elevated  trains,  and 
subways,  New  York's  rapid  transit  system  is  one  of  the 
best  in  the  world. 

With  such  advantages  as  a  receiving  and  distributing 
center,  it  is  small  wonder  that  the  city  has  become  the 
nation's  chief  market  place.  It  is  without  a  rival  as  the  cen 
ter  of  the  wholesale  dry-goods  and  wholesale  grocery  busi 
nesses.  More  than  half  of  the  imports  of  the  United  States 
enter  by  way  of  New  York's  port,  and  its  total  foreign  com 
merce  is  five  times  that  of  any  other  city  in  the  country. 

Rubber,  silk  goods,  furs,  jewelry,  coffee,  tea,  sugar,  and 
tin  are  among  the  leading  imports.  Cotton,  meats,  and 
breadstuffs  are  the  most  important  exports. 

Besides  being  the  principal  market  place  of  the  United 
States,  New  York  is  also  its  greatest  workshop,  as  it 
makes  over  one-tenth  of  the  manufactures  of  the  country. 
In  the  manufacture  of  clothing  alone,  more  than  a  hun 
dred  thousand  people  are  employed.  There  are  compara 
tively  few  large  factories  for  carrying  011  this  work,  as 
much  of  it  is  done  in  tenement  houses  and  in  small  work 
shops.  The  growth  of  this  industry  has  been  largely  due 
to  the  abundance  of  cheap  unskilled  labor  furnished  by 
the  immigrant  population  of  the  city. 

Second  in  importance  is  the  refining  of  sugar  and 
molasses,  carried  on  chiefly  in  Brooklyn  along  the  East 
River,  where  boats  laden  with  raw  sugar  from  the  South 
ern  states  and  the  West  Indies  unload  their  cargoes. 


NEW  YORK 


33 


New  York  City  leads  in  the  refining  of  sugar  as  well  as 
in  its  importation. 

Added  to  these,  printing  and  publishing,  the  refining 
of  petroleum,  slaughtering  and  meat  packing,  the  roast 
ing  and  grinding  of  coffee  and  spices,  the  making  of 


THE  BATTERY 

foundry  and  machine-shop  products,  cigars,  tobacco,  mil 
linery,  furniture,  and  jewelry  are  the  leading  industries 
of  the  many  thousands  which  have  grown  up  in  the  city. 
All  this  is  largely  due  to  the  ease  with  which  raw  mate 
rials  can  be  obtained  and  finished  articles  marketed. 
Thanks  to  its  commercial  advantages,  New  York  leads 
all  American  cities  in  the  value  of  its  manufactures  and 
surpasses  them  in  the  variety  of  its  products. 


NEW  YORK 


35 


At  the  southern  end  of  Manhattan  Island  is  the  Bat 
tery.  In  the  old  days  the  Battery  was  a  fort.  Now 
it  is  used  as  an  aquarium.  From  the  Battery  New 
York's  docks  extend  for  miles  along  both  sides  of  lower 
Manhattan  and  line  the  Long  Island  and  New  Jersey 
shores  as  well.  The 
wharves  are  piled 
high  with  bales  and 
bags,  boxes  and 
barrels.  Ships  from 
the  South  come 
with  cargoes  of  cot 
ton,  others  bound 
for  England  take 
this  cotton  away. 
Tank  steamers  from 
Cuba  bring  molas 
ses;  similar  ones 
are  filled  with  petro 
leum  destined  for 
the  ends  of  the 
earth.  Cattle  boats 
take  on  live  stock 
brought  from  the 
West,  grain  ships 

load  at  the  many  elevators  built  at  the  water's  edge,  and 
vessels  from  all  the  larger  ports  of  the  world  put  ashore 
goods  of  every  description.  Along  both  shores  of  the  Hud 
son  Kiver  are  the  piers  of  the  great  trans- Atlantic  steam 
ship  companies,  the  landing  places  of  the  largest  and  fastest 
passenger  vessels  in  the  world.  Here  also  are  the  docks 


LOADING  A  FREIGHT  STEAMER 


36       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

of  the  many  river  and  coastwise  lines  which  cany  passen 
gers  to  and  from  the  cities  and  towns  on  the  Hudson  and 
the  Atlantic  coast.  Half  the  foreign  trade  and  travel  of  the 
United  States  passes  over  the  wharves  of  lower  Manhattan. 
The  entire  harbor  includes  the  Hudson  and  East  rivers 
and  the  upper  and  lower  New  York  Bay  with  the  connecting 


A  DOCK  SCENE 

strait  known  as  The  Narrows.  The  upper  bay,  New  York's 
real  harbor,  can  be  entered  from  the  ocean  in  three  ways  — 
a  narrow  winding  channel  around  Staten  Island,  a  northeast 
entrance  through  Long  Island  Sound  and  the  East  River, 
and  an  entrance  through  The  Narrows  from  the  lower  bay. 
Among  the  islands  in  the  upper  bay  is  Ellis  Island,  where 
immigrants  are  inspected  before  being  allowed  to  enter  our 


NEW  YORK 


37 


A  GREAT  OCEAN  LI  NEK 


NEW  YORK  HARBOR 


country.  On  another  island  stands  the  splendid  bronze 
statue  of  "  Liberty  Enlightening  the  World,"  given  to  the 
United  States  by  the  people  of  France.  It  is  now  America's 
greeting  to  her  future  citizens  as  they  sail  up  the  harbor. 


38       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  U-NITED  STATES 


What  a  different  picture  the  harbor  presents  to-day  from 
the  one  Hudson  saw  over  three  hundred  years  ago !  The 
quiet  undisturbed  waters  of  that  time  are  now  alive  the 
year  around  with  craft  of  every  sort,  from  the  giant  ocean 

liner  to  the  grace 
ful  sailboat.  Ves 
sels  freighted  with 
merchandise,  tugs 
towing  canal  boats, 
ferries  for  Staten  Is 
land,  barges  loaded 
with  coal,  river 
steamers,  excursion 
boats,  and  battle 
ships  from  far  and 
near,  day  and  night, 
pass  in  an  endless 
procession  where 
the  solitary  Indian 
used  to  glide  in  his 
silent  canoe. 

When  the  Dutch 
bought  Manhattan 
it  was  a  beautiful 
wooded  island  in 
habited  by  Indians 
who  supplied  their 
simple  wants  by  hunting  and  fishing.  What  a  change 
the  island  has  undergone  since  that  time !  The  Indians 
have  disappeared  Avith  the  forest.  In  their  place  live  and 
struggle  vast  armies  of  human  beings  gathered  together 


THE  STATUE  OF  LIBERTY 


NEW  YORK  39 

from  all  tlie  corners  of  the  earth.  Where  squaws  used  to 
pitch  their  wigwams,  giant  skyscrapers  tower  up  toward 
the  clouds.  The  stillness  of  the  forest  has  been  succeeded 
by  the  noise  and  bustle  of  a  busy  city.  The  lazy  monoto 
nous  life  of  the  savage  has  given  way  to  a  ceaseless 
activity  and  hurry. 

The  twenty-four  dollars  which  bought  the  whole  island 
—  only  three  hundred  years  ago  —  would  not  now  buy 
a  single  square  inch  in  the  center  of  the  city.  The  hunt 
ing  and  fishing  ground  of  the  red  men  has  become  the 
heart  of  the  greatest  city  of  the  Western  Hemisphere. 


NEW  YORK 
FACTS  TO  KKMKMIJKR 

Population  (1920),  over  5,000,000  (5,620,048). 

First  city  in  population  in  the  United  States. 

Second  city  in  population  in  the  world. 

Divided  into  five  sections,  called  boroughs.. 

Carries  on  more  than  half  the  foreign  trade  of  the 
United  States. 

Leads  all  American  cities  in  the  value  of  its  manufac 
tures 

One  of  the  best  harbors  in  the  world. 

Connected  by  great  railway  systems  with  all  parts  of 
America. 

Connected  with  the  Great  Lakes  by  the  Hudson  River 
and  the  Erie  Barge  Canal. 

A  city  of  skyscrapers. 

Wonderful  system  of  underground,  overhead,  and  sur 
face  transportation. 


40       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW.  AND  STUDY 

1.  Why  did  the  Dutch  settle  on  Manhattan  Island  ?    How 
did  the  Dutch  governor  secure  the  land  from  the  Indians  ? 

2.  What  great  ceremony  connected  with  the  establishment 
of  the  government  of  the   United  States  took  place  in  New 
York  ?     Why  was  this  ceremony  held  in  New  York  ? 

3.  What  was  the  most  important  event  in  advancing  the 
business  growth  of  New  York  ? 

4.  What  effect  did  the  arrival  of  vast  numbers  of  immi 
grants  have  upon  the  city  ? 

.      5.  AVhy  are  there  such  tall  buildings  in  New  YTork  ? 

6.  Name   some   of   the   principal   streets   and    their  chief 
features ;    name  some  of  the  colleges  and  universities. 

7.  Give  some  facts  about  Central  Park,  The  Bronx,  and 
Riverside  Drive. 

8.  Give  some  idea  of  the  size  of  New  York,  its  population, 
and  the  nationalities  that  comprise  it. 

9.  Give  a  brief  account  of  the  means  of  transportation. 
10.   In  what  respects  does  New  York  rank  first  of  all  the 


cities  of  the  United  States  ? 


11.  What  are  its  principal  exports  and  imports  ? 

12.  What  commercial  advantages  does  New  York  enjoy? 

13.  What   are    the   chief   manufactured    products   of   New 
York  City,  and  how  can  it  produce  so  much  without  many 
great  factories  ? 

14.  Compare  the  harbor  and  city  of  to-day  with  that   of 
three  hundred  years  ago. 

15.  From  a  New  York  newspaper  find  out  the  foreign  coun 
tries  and  the  cities  of  this  country  to  which   vessels   make 
legular  sailings  from  New  Y7ork0 

16.  Name  all  the  railroads  entering  the  city. 


CHICAGO 

"  Chicago  is  wiped   out."    "  Chicago  cannot  rise  again." 
So  said  the  newspapers  all  over  the  country,  in  October, 
1871.     And  well  they  might  think  so,  for  the  great  fire 
of  Chicago  —  one  of  the  worst  in  the  world's  history - 
had  laid  low  the  city. 

The  summer  had  been  unusually  dry.  For  months 
almost  no  rain  had  fallen.  The  ground  was  hot  and 
parched,  the  whole  city  dry  as  kindling  wood.  Then 
about  nine  o'clock  on  a  windy  Sunday  night,  the  fire 
broke  out  in  a  poor  section  of  the  West  Side.  It  seemed 
as  if  everything  a  spark  touched,  blazed  up.  While  the 
firemen  stood  by,  helpless  to  check  the  flames,  rows  of 
houses  and  blocks  of  factories  burned  down. 

In  a  short  time  the  lumber  district  was  a  great  bonfire, 
the  flames  shooting  hundreds  of  feet  into  the  air.  On  and 
on  swept  the  fire  along  the  river  front.  Then  the  horror- 
stricken  watchers  saw  the  flames  cross  to  the  South  Side. 
All  had  thought  that  the  fire  would  be  checked  at  the 
river,  but  the  wind  carried  pieces  of  burning  wood  and 
paper  to  the  roofs  beyond. 

4  41 


42       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  business  section  was  burning !  The  firemen  worked 
desperately,  but  in  vain.  Hundreds  of  Chicago's  finest 
buildings  —  stores,  offices,  banks,  and  hotels  —  were  swal 
lowed  up  by  the  flames.  The  city  had  become  a  roaring 
furnace,  and  the  terrified  people  rushed  madly  for  safety. 


AFTER  THE  F1HE 


Once  more  the  fire  crossed  the  river,  this  time  to  the 
North  Side,  with  its  beautiful  residence  districts.  Here 
too  wind  and  flame  swept  all  before  them  till  Lincoln 
Park  was  reached,  where  at  last  the  fire  was  checked 


CHICAGO  43 

in  its  northward  course ;  there  was  nothing  more  to 
burn.  It  had  raged  for  two  nights  and  a  day,  laying 
waste  a  strip  of  land  almost  four  miles  long  and  one 
mile  wide. 

Tuesday  morning  saw  seventeen  thousand  buildings  de 
stroyed  and  one  hundred  thousand  people  homeless.  The 
best  part  of  Chicago  lay  in  ruins.  What  wonder  that  men 
everywhere  thought  the  stricken  city  could  not  rise  again ! 


Courtesy  of  Central  Trusl 
HOME  OF  JOHN  KINZIE 


At  the  time  this  terrible  disaster  happened,  Chicago  had 
been  a  city  for  a  little  less  than  thirty-five  years. 

The  mouth  of  the  Chicago  River  had  been  a  favorite 
meeting  place  for  Indians  and  French  trappers  long  before 
permanent  settlement  began.  In  1777  a  negro  from  San 
Domingo,  who  had  come  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  built 
a  log  store  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river.  This  store 
was  bought  in  1803  by  John  Kinzie,  another  trader  and 
Chicago's  first  white  settler. 


44       GllEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


The  next  year  the  United  States  government  built 
Fort  Dearborn  011  the  south  side  of  the  river,  not  far 
from  the  lake.  Though  Fort  .Dearborn  was  nothing  more 
than  a  stockade  with  blockhouses  at  the  corners,  a  little 
settlement  gradually  grew  up  around  it. 


CITY    OF    C  H  I  CAGO 
Incorporated  1837 


Wood          Street 


J 


X 


WHERE  CHICAGO  WAS  FOUNDED 

During  the  War  of  1812  the  Indians  attacked  the  fort, 
burned  it  to  the  ground,  and  either  massacred  or  captured 
most  of  the  settlers  while  they  were  fleeing  to  Detroit  for 
safety. 

Fort  Dearborn  was  rebuilt  after  the  war,  but  settlers 
were  slow  in  coming.  By  1830  there  were  scarcely  a 
hundred  people  in  Chicago,  then  a  little  village  of  log 


CHICAGO  45 

houses  scattered  over  a  swampy  plain.     Fur  trading  was 
still  the  chief  occupation. 

^j  A  change  was  soon  to  come.  The  southern  part  of 
Illinois  was  by  this  time  being  settled  and  dotted  with 
farms,  and  each  year  larger  crops  were  produced.  The 
farmers  saw  that  they  must  get  their  products  to  the 
Atlantic  coast  if  they  wished  to  prosper,  and  the  Great 
Lakes  were  the  most  convenient  route  over  which  to 
send  them. 

Lake  Michigan  extended  into  the  heart  of  the  fertile 
prairie  lands,  but  its  shores  were  almost  unbroken  by 
harbors.  Men  early  saw  the  possibilities  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Chicago  River.  It  could  be  made  into  an  excel 
lent  harbor  with  little  expense,  and  if  once  this  were 
done,  Chicago  would  be  the  natural  port  of  the  rich 
Middle  West. 

In  1833  the  government  began  improvements  by  cut 
ting  a  channel  through  the  sand  bar  across  the  mouth  of 
the  river  and  building  stone  piers  into  the  lake  to  keep 
out  the  drifting  sand.  Vessels  w^ere  soon  entering  the 
river  instead  of  anchoring  in  the  lake  as  formerly.  Lake 
trade  increased.  More  and  more  boats  were  bringing 
goods  from  the  East  to  be  distributed  among  the  farmers 
of  Illinois.  The  new  harbor  made  intercourse  with  the 
outer  world  easy. 

The  growth  of  trade,  however,  was  hindered  by  the 
absence  of  good  roads.  Farmers  who  wished  to  bring 
anything  to  the  Chicago  market  had  to  cross  the  open 
prairie,  which  was  wet  and  marshy  near  the  town.  Such 
a  ride  was  an  unpleasant  experience,  as  often  the  wagon 
would  stick  in  the  deep  mud,  and  the  poor  driver  had  no 


46       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

choice  but  to  wait  until  help  should  happen  along.  Many 
preferred  to  take  their  crops  to  the  cities  farther  south, 
where  better  roads  had  been  built. 

"  We  too  will  have  roads,"  said  the  people  of  Chicago, 
anxious  for  more  trade,  and  they  set  about  building  them 
with  a  will.  Soon  good  roads  entered  the  town  from 


AN  EARLY  CHICAGO  DRAWBRIDGE 


all  directions,  and  over  them  the  rich  products  of  the 
surrounding  country  came  pouring  into  Chicago. 

Business  and  wealth  increased,  and  more  and  more 
settlers  arrived.  Most  of  them  came  by  way  of  the  lakes, 
but  many  came  in  prairie  schooners,  as  the  immigrants' 
great  covered  wagons  were  called.  By  1837  the  popula 
tion  had  risen  to  four  thousand,  and  Chicago  became  a  city. 

Its  growth  from  this  time  was  marvelous.  Its  loca 
tion  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan,  its  fine  harbor,  the 


CHICAGO 


47 


resources  of  the  rich  back  country,  all  combined  to  make 
it  the  chief  commercial  center  of  the  Middle  West. 

In  the  early  days,  when  Chicago  was  only  a  tiny 
village,  there  had  been  talk  of  connecting  Lake  Michigan 
at  Chicago  with  the  Illinois  River  by  canal.  As  the 
Illinois  flows  into  the  Mississippi,  this  would  furnish  a 


WHERE  THE  STAGECOACH  STARTED 

water  route  from  the  East  down  the  entire  Mississippi 
valley.  In  1836  the  canal  was  actually  begun.  A  few 
years  later  hard  times  came,  and  the  work  was  stopped 
for  a  while,  but  it  was  finished  in  1848.  This  was  known 
as  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.  It  extended  from 
La  Salle,  on  the  Illinois  River,  to  Chicago  —  a  distance 
of  over  ninety  miles  —  anjl  offered  cheap  transportation 
between  Chicago  and  the  fertile  farm  lands  to  the  south. 


48 


CHICAGO  49 

Though  the  canal  was  a  success,  railroads  did  even 
more  for  the  city.  The  year  that  saw  the  canal  completed 
also  saw  the  first  train  run  from  Chicago  to  Galena,  near 
the  Mississippi,  in  the  heart  of  the  lead  country. 

Four  years  later,  in  1852,  came  railroad  connection 
with  the  East,  when  the  Michigan  Southern  and  Michigan 
Central  railroads  entered  the  city.  Other  lines  soon 
followed,  and  it  was  not  long  before  Chicago  was  one 
of  the  important  railroad  centers  of  the  country. 

But  while  Chicago  was  fast  becoming  rich  and  big,  it 
\vas  not  a  pleasant  place  in  which  to  live.  The  site  of  the 
city  was  a  low  and  marshy  plain,  almost  on  a  level  with 
the  lake,  and  the  problems  of  drainage  of  such  a  location 
had  to  be  met  and  solved. 

In  the  beginning,  to  keep  the  houses  dry,  they  were 
built  above  the  ground  and  supported  by  timbers  or  piles. 
Cellars  and  basements  were  unknown,  and  the  city  streets 
were  a  disgrace.  In  spring  they  were  flooded  and  swim 
ming  with  mud.  Even  in  summer,  pools  of  stagnant 
water  stood  in  many  places.  For  years  wagons  sticking 
fast  in  the  mud  were  common  sights. 

Cholera,  smallpox,  and  scarlet  fever  swept  the  city 
again  and  again.  People,  knowing  only  too  well  that 
unsanitary  conditions  brought  on  these  diseases,  did  their 
best  to  remedy  matters.  They  saw  that  Chicago  would 
be  clean  and  healthy  if  only  they  could  find  a  way  to 
carry  off  her  wastes. 

First  they  decided  to  turn  the  water  into  the  river  by 
sloping  all  the  streets  towards  it.  Then  came  a  severe  flood 
which  did  much  damage  and  showed  the  folly  of  digging 
down  any  part  of  the  city.  Chicago  was  too  low  already. 


50       GEEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

So  the  people  hastened  to  raise  their  streets  again  by 
filling  them  in  with  sand,  and  this  time  they  made 
gutters  along  the  side  to  carry  off  the  water.  Heavy 
wagons  soon  wore  away  the  sand,  however,  and  the 
streets  were  as  muddy  as  before. 

Finally,  an  engineer  advised  the  people  to  raise  the 
whole  city  several  feet ;  then  brick  sewers  could  be  built 
beneath  the  street  to  carry  the  sewage  into  the  river.  At 
first  many  refused  to  listen  to  such  a  proposal.  The 
undertaking  was  so  great  that  it  frightened  them. 

But  as  things  were,  business  and  health  were  suffering. 
Something  had  to  be  done,  and  at  last  the  city  determined 
to  raise  itself  out  of  the  mud,  and  work  was  begun. 
Ground  was  hauled  in  from  the  surrounding  country, 
streets  and  lots  were  filled  in,  the  buildings  were  gradu 
ally  raised,  and  sewers  were  built  sloping  toward  the 
river.  It  was  a  gigantic  task  and  cost  years  of  labor,  but 
when  it  was  done,  Chicago  was,  for  the  first  time,  a  dry 
city.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  area  of  Chicago 
at  that  time  was  but  a  small  part  of  the  present  city. 

Another  source  of  trouble  was  the  drinking-water, 
which  was  taken  from  Lake  Michigan.  The  sewage  in 
the  river  flowed  into  the  lake  and  at  times  contaminated 
the  water  far  out  from  the  shore,  thus  poisoning  the  city's 
supply.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  build  new  waterworks, 
which  would  bring  into  the  city  pure  water  from  farther 
out  in  the  lake.  A  tunnel  was  built,  extending  two  miles 
under  Lake  Michigan.  At  its  outer  end  a  great  screened 
pipe  reached  up  into  the  lake  to  let  water  into  the  tunnel. 
Over  the  pipe  a  crib  was  built  to  protect  it.  On  the 
shore,  pumping  stations  with  powerful  engines  raised  the 


CHICAGO 


51 


water  to  high  towers  from   which   all   parts   of  the   city 
were  supplied. 

The  first  tunnel  was  completed  in  1867.  With  the 
growth  of  the  city  other  tunnels  and  cribs  have  been 
built,  farther  out  in  the  lake,  to  supply  the  increasing  need. 


CHICAGO  HIGH  SCHOOL,  1856 

By  1870  Chicago  had  become  one  of  the  largest  cities 
in  the  country.  In  1830  the  settlement  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Chicago  River  had  barely  twenty  houses.  Forty  years 
later  it  had  over  three  hundred  thousand  inhabitants. 
The  wonderful  resources  of  the  upper  Mississippi  valley 
had  been  largely  responsible  for  the  city's  growth,  and  the 
rapid  development  of  the  entire  West  promised  Chicago  a 
still  greater  future. 


52       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Then  came  the  fire,  and  to  the  homeless  people  looking 
across  miles  of  blackened  ruins  it  seemed  that  Chicago 
had  no  future  at  all.  Had  not  the  fire  undone  the  work 
of  forty  years  ? 

The  first  despair  gradually  gave  way  to  a  more  hope 
ful  feeling.  Truly  the  loss  was  great  —  the  best  part 


CLARK  STREET  IN  1857 

of  the  city  lay  in  ruins.  But  was  not  the  wealth  of 
the  West  left,  and  the  harbor  and  the  railroads  ?  These 
had  built  up  Chicago  in  the  beginning,  and  they  would 
do  so  again. 

The  rebuilding  began  at  once.  At  first  little  wooden 
houses  and  sheds  were  constructed  to  give  temporary 
shelter  to  the  homeless.  Help  came  to  the  stricken  city 
from  all  sides.  Thousands  of  carloads  of  food  were  sent, 
and  several  million  dollars  were  collected  in  Europe  and 
America. 


CHICAGO  53 

Two  thirds  of  the  city  had  been  built  of  wood.  Now 
the  business  blocks,  at  least,  were  to  be  as  nearly  fire 
proof  as  possible.  Tall  buildings  of  brick  and  stone  were 
planned.  But  such  structures  are  heavy,  and  if  they 
were  built  directly  on  the  swampy  ground  underlying 
the  city,  there  would  be  danger  of  their  settling  un 
evenly  and  possibly  toppling  over.  So  layers  of  steel 
rails  crossing  each  other  were  sunk  in  the  ground,  and 
the  spaces  between  them  were  filled  in  with  concrete. 
Upon  this  solid  foundation  the  first  skyscrapers  of 
Chicago  were  built. 

To-day  concrete  caissons  are  constructed  on  bed  rock,  often 
from  100  to  110  feet  below  the  surface,  and  upon  these 
rest  the  steel  bases  of  the  modern  Chicago  skyscrapers. 

Work  went  on  quickly.  In  a  year  the  business  section 
was  rebuilt.  In  three  years  there  was  hardly  a  trace  of 
the  fire  to  be  seen  in  the  city,  which  was  larger  and  more 
beautiful  than  before. 

After  the  rebuilding,  the  water  question  came  up  for 
discussion  again.  In  spite  of  all  that  had  been  done  to 
protect  the  water  supply,  the  increasing  sewage  of  the 
city,  carried  by  the  river  into  the  lake,  at  times  still  made 
the  water  unfit  to  drink.  The  one  way  of  getting  pure 
water  was  to  prevent  the  river  from  flowing  into  the  lake. 
Tliis  could  be  done  only  by  building  a  new  canal,  large 
and  deep  enough  to  change  the  flow  of  the  river  away 
from  the  lake.  Such  a  canal  was  finally  completed  in 
1900,  after  eight  years'  work  and  at  a  cost  of  over 
$75,000,000.  It  is  28  miles  long,  22  feet  deep,  and  165 
feet  wide,  and  it  connects  the  Chicago  River  with  the  Des 
Plaines,  a  branch  of  the  Illinois  River.  A  large  volume 


54       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

of  water  from  Lake  Michigan  continually  flushes  this  im 
mense  drain,  carrying  the  sewage  away.  The  Chicago 
River  no  longer  flows  into  the  lake,  and  at  last  the  danger 
of  contaminated  drinking-water  from  this  source  is  past. 

One  dream  of  the  builders  of  the  canal  has  not  yet 
been  realized.  They  called  it  the  Chicago  Drainage  and 
Ship  Canal,  in  the  hope  that  it  might  some  day  be  used 
for  shipping  purposes  as  well  as  for  draining  the  river. 


BUSY  SCENE  AT  ENTRANCE  TO  CHICAGO  RIVER 

This   cannot   happen,   however,    till   the    rivers   which   it 
connects  are  deepened  and  otherwise  improved. 

Such  has  been  the  history  of  the  growth  of  Chicago  — 
to-day  the  greatest  railroad  center  and  lake  port  in  the 
world.    It  is  now  the  second  city  in  size  in  America  and 
ranks  fourth  among  the  cities  of  the  world. 

The  port  of  Chicago  owes  much  to  the  Chicago  River, 
which  has  been  repeatedly  widened,  deepened,  and  straight 
ened.  It  is  to-day  one  of  the  world's  most  important 


CHICAGO 


55 


rivers,  commercially  considered.  After  extending  about 
one  mile  westward  from  the  lake,  the  river  divides  into 
two  branches,  one  extending  northwest,  the  other  south 
west.  Many  docks  have  been  built  along  its  fifteen  miles 
of  navigable  channel,  and  its  banks  are  lined  with  factories, 
warehouses,  coal  yards,  and  grain  elevators. 

These  grain  elevators  are  really  huge  tanks  where  the 
grain  is  stored  and  kept  dry  until  time  to  reship  it.    There 


Courtesy  of  Central  Trust  Company  of  Illinois,  Chicago 
CHICAGO'S  FIRST  GRAIN  ELEVATOR 

are  many  of  them  along  the  river,  and  they  bear  wit 
ness  to  the  fact  that  Chicago  is  the  world's  greatest 
grain  center. 

In  1838  the  city  received  only  seventy-eight  bushels  of 
wheat.  This  was  brought  in  by  wagons  rumbling  across 
the  unbroken  prairie.  Canal  boats  and  railroads  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  wagons  of  early  days  and  every 
year  bring  hundreds  of  millions  of  bushels  of  grain  from 
the  West  to  the  elevators  along  the  Chicago  River. 


56       GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Though  much  of  the  grain  remains  here  but  a  short 
time  and  is  then  shipped  to  other  points,  a  great  quantity 
is  made  into  flour  in  the  city's  many  flourishing  mills. 

Of  equal  importance  with  the  Chicago  River  harbor  is 
the  great  harbor  in  South  Chicago  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Calumet  River.  Here  ships  from  the  Lake  Superior  region 


A  GKA1X  ELEVATOR  OF  TO-DAY 

come  with  immense  cargoes  of  ore.  This  ore,  together  with 
the  supply  of  coal  from  the  near-by  Illinois  coal  fields,  has 
developed  the  enormous  steel  industry  of  South  Chicago. 
Vast  quantities  of  steel  are  turned  out.  Some  of  this  is 
shipped  to  foreign  countries,  but  most  of  it  is  used  in 
Chicago's  many  foundries  for  the  making  of  all  kinds  of 
iron  and  steel  articles,  in  the  city's  immense  farm-tool  fac 
tories,  and  in  the  shipyards  for  building  large  steamships. 


CHICAGO  57 

Close  to  the  water  front,  too,  are  extensive  lumber  yards, 
for  Chicago  is  the  largest  lumber  market  in  the  United 
States.  Here  boats  can  be  seen  unloading  millions  of  feet 
of  timber  from  the  great  forests  of  Michigan  and  Wis 
consin,  sent  to  Chicago's  lumber  yards  to  be  distributed 
far  and  wide  over  the  country.  Large  quantities  are 
also  taken  to  the  factories  in  the  city,  to  be  cut  and 
planed  and  made  into  doors,  window  frames,  furniture, 
and  practically  everything  that  can  be  made  of  wood. 

In  addition  to  her  inner  harbors,  Chicago  has  a  fine 
outer  harbor.  This  is  now  being  enlarged  by  the  exten 
sion  of  its  breakwaters,  and  a  $5,000,000  pier  is  under 
construction  which  will  be  more  than  half  a  mile  in 
length  and  will  greatly  increase  the  shipping  facilities. 

With  all  these  advantages  as  a  shipping  point,  thou 
sands  of  vessels  come  to  Chicago  every  year.  Steamers 
connect  it  with  the  states  along  the  Great  Lakes  and  with 
Canada  and  the  outer  world.  Its  trade  with  Europe  is 
large,  corn  and  oats  being  the  chief  exports.  New  York 
alone  in  America  surpasses  Chicago  in  the  total  value 
of  its  commerce. 

Of  Chicago's  nearly  3,000,000  inhabitants  a  large  per 
centage  are  foreign  born,  Germans,  Poles,  Irish,  and  Jews 
having  settled  here  in  great  numbers.  About  forty  lan 
guages  are  spoken,  and  newspapers  are  regularly  pub 
lished  in  ten  of  them. 

With  its  suburbs,  Chicago  stretches  nearly  30  miles 
along  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  and  reaches  irregularly 
inland  about  10  miles.  The  city  limits  inclose  an  area 
of  over  191  square  miles,  which  the  two  branches  of  the 
Chicago  River  cut  into  three  parts,  known  as  the  South, 


58       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


West,  and  North  sides.  The  three  divisions  of  the  city 
are  connected  by  bridges  and  by  tunnels  under  the  river. 
Though  business  is  spreading  to  the  West  Side,  the 
central  business  section  is  still  on  the  South  Side  and 
extends  from  the  Chicago  River  beyond  Twenty-sixth 

. ,     Street.    Most  of  the 

great  wholesale  and 
retail  houses,  banks, 
theaters,  hotels,  and 
public  buildings  are 
crowded  into  this 
area,  and  here  is  the 
largest  department 
store  in  the  world, 
in  which  over  9000 
people  work.  The 
automobile  indus 
try  alone  occupies 
nearly  all  of  Mich 
igan  Avenue  for 
two  miles  south  of 
Twelfth  Street. 

Surrounding  this 
crowded  business  sec 
tion  are  most  of  the  terminals  of  Chicago's  many  railroads. 
These  connect  the  city  with  New  York,  Boston,  and  Phila 
delphia  in  the  East ;  with  New  Orleans,  Galveston,  and 
Atlanta  in  the  South ;  as  well  as  with  San  Francisco  and 
the  other  large  cities  of  the  West.  The  courthouse  and 
city  hall  and  the  new  Northwestern  Railway  Station  are 
among  the  city's  finest  buildings. 


COURTHOUSE  AND  CITY  HALL 


CHICAGO 


59 


Elevated  railways  and  a  freight  subway  have  been  built 
in  recent  years  and  have  somewhat  relieved  the  crowded 
condition  of  the  streets.  This  subway,  opened  in  1905, 
connects  with  all  the  leading  business  and  freight  houses, 
and  carries  coal,  ashes,  garbage,  luggage,  and  heavy 
materials  of  every  kind  to  and  from  them. 


THE  NORTHWESTERN  RAILWAY  STATION 

Five  miles  southwest  of  the  city  hall  are  the  Union 
Stockyards,  the  greatest  market  of  any  kind  in  the  world, 
covering  about  five  hundred  acres.  When  Chicago  was 
only  a  small  village,  herds  of  cattle  were  driven  across  the 
prairies  to  be  slaughtered  in  the  little  packing  houses 
which  grew  up  along  the  Chicago  River.  As  the  raising 
of  cattle  and  hogs  increased  in  the  state,  most  of  them 


CHICAGO  TO-DAY 


CHICAGO 


61 


were  sent  to  the  Chicago  market,  and  the  stockyards  con 
tinued  to  develop  until  to-day  they  can  hold  more  than 
four  hundred  thousand  animals  at  once. 

Near  the  yards  are  the  famous  packing  houses  of  Chi 
cago,  where  over  two-thirds  of  the  cattle,  hogs,  and  sheep 
received  in  the  city  are  slaughtered  and  prepared  for 
shipping.  The  use,  since  their  invention,  of  refrigerator 


WHERE  CARS  ARE  MADE 

cars  has  made  possible  the  sending  of  dressed  meats  to  far- 
distant  points,  and  a  great  increase  in  Chicago's  packing 
business  has  resulted. 

Beef,  pork,  hams,  and  bacon  from  Chicago  are  eaten  in 
every  town  and  city  of  America  and  in  many  parts  of 
Europe.  Other  products  are  lard,  soups,  beef  extracts, 
soap,  candles,  and  glue,  for  every  bit  of  the  slaughtered 
animal  is  turned  into  use. 


62       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

In  a  district  of  South  Chicago,  known  as  Pullman,  are  the 
shops  of  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  Company  and  the  homes 
of  its  army  of  workmen.  Cars  of  all  sorts  are  manufactured 


THE  SKELETON  OF  A  PULLMAN  CAR 

by  the  Pullman  company,  which  owns  and  operates  the 
dining  and  sleeping  cars  on  most  American  railroads. 

There  is  no  one  striking  residence  quarter  in  Chicago, 
but  beautiful  homes  are  found  in  many  parts  of  the  city. 


THE  CAR  COMPLETED 


Among  the  finest  streets  are  Lake  Shore  Drive,  along  the 
lake  front  on  the  North  Side,  and  Drexel  and  Grand 
avenues. 


CHICAGO 


63 


The  parks  of  Chicago  are  nearly  one  hundred  in  number, 
the  most  important  being  Lincoln,  Washington,  Humboldt, 
Garfield,  Douglas,  and  Jackson.  These  are  connected  by 
boulevards,  or  parkways,  forming  a  great  park  system, 
sixty  miles  in  length,  which  encircles  the  central  part  of 
the  city.  Lincoln 
Park  borders  the 
lake  on  the  North 
Side  and  covers  hun 
dreds  of  acres,  its 
area  having  been 
doubled  by  filling 
in  along  the  shores 
of  the  lake.  Jackson 
Park,  on  the  lake 
shore  of  the  South 
Side,  was  the  site 
of  the  World's  Co 
lumbian  Exposition, 
which  celebrated  the 
four-hundredth  an 
niversary  of  the  dis 
covery  of  America. 
This  park  is  con 
nected  with  Washington  Park  by  what  is  known  as  the 
Midway.  Grant  Park  was  constructed  on  made  land 
along  the  lake  shore,  facing  the  central  business  portion  of 
the  city.  Here  is  located  the  Field  Museum  of  Natural 
History. 

Bordering  the  Midway  are  the  fine  stone  buildings  of 
The  University  of  Chicago,  opened  in  1892.     Its  growth, 


MICHIGAN   BOULEVARD 


64       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

like  that  of  Chicago,  has  been  marvelous.    Already  it  is 
one  of  the  largest  universities  of  the  country. 

But  with  all  its  parks,  its  boulevards,  its  splendid 
water  front,  and  its  many  other  advantages,  the  people 
of  Chicago  are  not  yet  satisfied.  To-day  they  are  working 
to  carry  out  a  splendid  plan  which  will  give  the  city  more 


©  The  University  of  Chicago 
THE  LAW  SCHOOL  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO 

and  larger  parks  and  playgrounds,  better  and  wider 
streets,  and  a  really  wonderful  harbor.  All  this  is  being 
done  "  that  by  properly  solving  Chicago's  problems  of 
transportation,  street  congestion,  recreation,  and  public 
health,  the  city  may  grow  indefinitely  in  wealth  and  com 
merce  and  hold  her  position  among  the  great  cities  of 
the  world." 


CHICAGO  65 


CHICAGO 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  3,000,000  (2,701,705). 

Second  city  in  population. 

Second  only  to  New  York  in  value  of  manufactures. 

The  leading  market  in  the  world  for  grain  and  meat 

products. 

A  great  iron  and  steel  center. 

Chief  lumber  and  furniture  market  of  the  United  States. 
Greatest  railroad  center  in  the  country. 
Most  important  lake  port  in  the  country 
Has    had  a  remarkable   growth    in    industries    and   in 

population. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Tell  what  you  can  of  Chicago's  early  history. 

2.  What  great  disaster  befell  Chicago  in  1871  ? 

3.  Give  five  causes  for  the  wonderful  growth  of  Chicago. 

4.  AVhat  part  has  the  Chicago  Kiver  played  in  the  develop 
ment  of  the  city  ? 

5.  Describe  a  grain  elevator.    Why  are  they  necessary  in 
handling  grain  ? 

6.  Name  the  advantages  which  Chicago  enjoys  on  account 
of  its  location. 

7.  What  are  the  great  wheat-growing  states  of  the  United 
States  ? 

8.  Give  reasons  for  the  development  of  the  following-  indus 
tries  in  Chicago : 

Iron  and  steel 
Meat  packing 
Lumber  trade 


66       GEEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

9.  What  are  the  advantages  of  water  transportation  over 
rail  transportation  ? 

10.  In    what    respects    is    rail    transportation    better    than 
water  transportation  ? 

11.  Why  was  Chicago  willing  to  spend  millions  of  dollars 
to  improve  her  water  supply  ?    How  was  this  done  ? 

12.  Where  are  the  workers  secured  to  carry  on  the  great 
industries  of  Chicago  ? 

13.  Make    a    table,    by    measurement    of    a    map    of    the 
United   States,   showing  the   distance    from    Chicago    to    the 
following  places  : 

New  York  City  Denver 

Boston  Seattle 

Washington,  D.  C.  San  Francisco 

New  Orleans  St.  Louis 

14.  In  what  respects  does  Chicago  stand  first  of  American 
cities,  and  in  what  two  things  does  she  lead  the  world  ? 

15.  Compare   Chicago  and   New   York  as   to    exports   and 
value  of  commerce. 

16.  What   is   the   benefit   of   parks  to  a  city  ?     What  has 
Chicago    done   to    make    her   parks  among   the    best    in    this 
country  ? 


PHILADELPHIA 

In  early  days,  when  there  was  no  United  States  and 
our  big  America  was  a  vast  wilderness  inhabited  mostly 
by  Indians,  people  who  came  here  were  thought  very 
adventuresome  and  brave. 

At  that  time  there  lived  in  England  a  distinguished 
admiral  who  was  a  great  friend  of  the  royal  family.  The 
king  owed  him  about  f  64,000,  and  at  his  death  this  claim 
was  inherited  by  his  son,  William  Perm.  Now  William 
Perm  was  an  ardent  Quaker,  and  because  of  the  persecu 
tion  of  the  Quakers  in  England  he  decided  to  found  a. 
Quaker  colony  in  another  country.  King  Charles  II,  who 
seldom  had  money  to  pay  his  debts,  was  only  too  glad  to 
settle  Perm's  claim  by  a  grant  of  land  in  America.  To 
this  grant,  consisting  of  40,000  square  miles  lying  west 
of  the  Delaware  River,  the  king  gave  the  name  Pennsyl 
vania,  meaning  "  Penn's  Woods."  The  next  year,  1682, 
William  Penn  and  his  Quaker  followers  entered  the 
Delaware  River  in  the  ship  Welcome. 

Penn  believed  in  honesty  and  fair  play.  He  was  gen 
erous  enough  not  to  limit  his  colony  to  one  religion  or 
nationality.  All  who  were  honest  and  industrious  were 

67 


68       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

welcome.     The  laws  he  made  were  extremely  just,   and 
land  was  sold  to  immigrants  on  very  easy  terms. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  America,  Penn  wisely  made 
a  treaty  with  the  Indians  whose  wigwams  and  hunting 
grounds  were  on  or  near  the  banks  of  the  Delaware  River. 
Beneath  the  graceful  branches  of  a  great  elm  he  and  the 


PENN'S  TREATY  WITH  THE  INDIANS 

Indian  chief  exchanged  wampum  belts,  signifying  peace 
and  friendship.  In  the  center  of  the  belt  which  Penn 
received  are  two  figures,  one  representing  an  Indian,  the 
other  a  European,  with  hands  joined  in  friendship.  This 
belt  is  still  preserved  in  Philadelphia  by  the  Historical 
Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

In  1683  Penn  laid  out  in  large  squares,  between  the 
Delaware  and  Schuylkill  rivers,  the  beginning  of  a  great 


PHILADELPHIA 


city.  This  city  he  called  Philadelphia,  a  word  which 
means  "  brotherly  love."  At  that  time  the  so-called  city 
had  an  area  of  2  square  miles  and  a  population  of 


PENN'S  WAMPUM  BELT 

only  400.  To-day  Philadelphia  has  an  area  of  nearly 
130  square  miles  and  a  population  of  more  than  a  million 
and  a  half.  It  is  America's  third  city  in  population,  and 
it  ranks  third  among  the  manufacturing  cities  of  the 
United  States. 
Philadelphia  is 
on  the  Dela 
ware  River,  a 
hundred  miles 
from  the  ocean, 
but  it  has  all 
the  advantages 
of  a  seaport, 
for  the  river  is 
deep  enough 
to  let  great 
ocean  steamers 

navigate  to  the  city's  docks.  Philadelphia's  easy  access 
to  the  vast  stores  of  iron,  coal,  and  petroleum,  for  which 
Pennsylvania  is  famous,  its  location  on  two  tidewater 
rivers,  —  the  Delaware  and  the  Schuylkill,  —  and  its 


70         GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

important  railroads,  all  have  helped  to  make  it  a  great  in 
dustrial  and  commercial  center.  Almost  all  of  the  anthra 
cite  coal  in  the  United  States  is  mined  in  Pennsylvania. 
Much  of  it  is  shipped  to  Philadelphia  and  from  there 
by  rail  and  water  to  many  other  states  and  countries. 

Some    of    the    greatest    manufacturing    plants    in   the 
United  States,  in  fact  in  the  world,  are  in  Philadelphia. 


THE  OLD  STAGE  WHICH  JOURNEYED  FROM  PHILADELPHIA 
TO  PITTSBURGH 

In  certain  branches  of  the  textile,  or  woven-goods,  in 
dustry  Philadelphia  is  unsurpassed.  In  the  making  of 
woolen  carpets  she  leads  the  world.  This  industry  goes 
back  to  Revolutionary  times,  when  the  first  yard  of  carpet 
woven  in  the  United  States  came  from  a  Philadelphia 
loom.  In  1791  a  local  manufacturer  made  a  carpet, 
adorned  with  patriotic  emblems,  for  the  United  States 
Senate. 


PHILADELPHIA 


71 


Other  important  industries  of  the  city  include  the  manu 
facturing  of  woolen  and  worsted  goods,  hosiery  and  knit 
goods,  rugs,  cotton  goods,  felt  hats,  silk  goods,  cordage, 
and  twine  and  the  dyeing  and  finishing  of  textiles.  The 
largest  lace  mill  in  the  world  is  in  Philadelphia. 

Philadelphia  is  also  noted  for  the  manufacture  of  iron 
and  steel.  The  largest  single  manufactory  in  Philadelphia 
is  the  Baldwin  Locomotive  Works,  which  is  the  greatest 
of  its  kind.  Pic 
tures  of  the  old 
Flying  Machine,  a 
stagecoach  which 
made  trips  to  New 
York  in  1776,  and 
of  Old  Ironsides, 
the  first  locomotive 
built  by  Matthias 
W.Baldwin  in  1832, 
seem  very  queer 
in  comparison  with 
the  powerful  800-ton  locomotives  built  in  Philadelphia 
to-day.  Old  Ironsides  weighed  a  little  over  4  tons  and 
lacked  power  to  pull  a  loaded  train  on  wet  and  slippery 
rails ;  hence  the  following  notice  which  appeared  in  the 
newspapers :  "  The  locomotive  engine  built  by  Mr.  M.  W. 
Baldwin  of  this  city  will  depart  daily  when  the  weather 
is  fair  with  a  train  of  passenger  cars.  On  rainy  days 
horses  will  be  attached." 

Besides  the  American  railroads  using  Baldwin  locomo 
tives,   engines   built   in    this    plant    are  in    use    in    many 
foreign  lands.     There   is  hardly  a  part   of  the  world  to 


It 


OLD  IRONSIDES 


72       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

which  one  can  go  where  a  Philadelphia-made  locomotive 
is  not  to  be  seen. 

Philadelphia  holds  an  important  place  in  the  construc 
tion  of  high-grade  machine  tools.  She  has  great  rolling 
mills,  foundries,  and  machine  shops,  and  one  of  the  most 
famous  bridge-building  establishments  in  the  world.  Her 
people  smile  at  being  called  slow  :  in  fourteen  weeks  a 


THE  FIRST  TRAIN  ON  THE  PENNSYLVANIA  RAILROAD 

Philadelphia  concern  made  from  pig  iron  a  steel  bridge  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  long,  carried  it  halfway  around  the  world, 
and  set  it  up  over  a  river  in  Africa. 

Shipbuilding  in  Philadelphia  began  with  the  founding 
of  the  colony.  It  was  the  first  American  city  to  build 
ships  and  was  also  the  home  of  the  steamboat.  The  first 
boat  to  be  propelled  by  steam  was  built  by  John  Fitch  in 
Philadelphia  in  1786.  This  was  more  than  twenty  years 
before  Robert  Fulton  had  his  first  steamboat  on  the 


PHILADELPHIA  73 

Hudson  Eiver.  Robert  Fulton,  who  was  a  Pennsyl- 
vanian  by  birth,  also  lived  at  one  time  in  Philadelphia. 
Shipbuilding,  to-day,  is  one  of  the  city's  great  industries. 
The  art  of  printing  has  been  practiced  in  Philadelphia 
since  the  very  beginning  of  its  history.  William  Bradford, 
one  of  the  first  colonists,  published  an  almanac  for  the 
year  1687.  This  was  the  first  work  printed  in  Phila 
delphia.  Benjamin  Franklin  entered  the  printing  business 
in  Philadelphia  in  1728,  and  six  years  later  published  the 


A  PRESENT-DAY  LOCOMOTIVE 


Pennsylvania  Gazette.  This  was  the  second  newspaper 
printed  in  the  colony,  the  first  being  the  American 
Weekly  Mercury,  the  first  edition  of  which  was  printed 
in  Philadelphia  in  1719.  Both  of  these  papers  were  very 
small  and  would  appear  very  odd  alongside  of  the  daily 
papers  of  to-day.  The  first  complete  edition  of  the  Bible 
printed  in  the  United  States  was  published  by  Chris 
topher  Saur  in  Germantown,  which  is  now  a  part  of 
Philadelphia,  in  1743.  Philadelphia  ranks  first  among 
the  cities  of  the  United  States  in  the  publication  of 


74       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


scientific  books  and  law  books.  One  of  the  large  publish 
ing  houses  of  the  city  now  uses  over  a  million  dollars' 
worth  of  paper  each  year.  It  is  interesting  to  know  that 
when  the  Revolutionary  War  began  there  were  forty 
paper  mills  in  and  near  Philadelphia.  At  that  time,  and  for 

many  years  after,  it 
Avas  the  great  liter 
ary  center  of  the 
country. 

When  William 
Penn  founded  his 
Quaker  town  in 
the  Avilderness,  he 
made  little  provi 
sion  for  parks,  as 
at  that  time  the 
town  was  so  small 
and  was  so  sur 
rounded  by  forests 
that  no  parks  were 
needed.  But  Phila 
delphia  now  pos 
sesses  the  largest 
park  in  the  United 

States.  This  is  known  as  Fairmount  Park,  which  covers 
over  three  thousand  acres  of  land.  Splendid  paths  and 
driveways  give  access  to  every  section  of  this  park.  On 
all  sides  one  sees  beautiful  landscape  gardening,  fine  old 
trees,  and  picturesque  streams  and  bridges.  Here  is  a 
great  open  amphitheater  where  concerts  are  given  during 
the  summer  months;  here  are  athletic  fields,  playgrounds, 


IN  FA1KMOUNT  PARK 


PHILADELPHIA 


75 


race  courses,  and  splendid  stretches  of  water  for  rowing; 
and  here  also  are  located  the  waterworks  which  pump  a 
large  part  of  the  city's  water  supply  from  the  Schuylkill 
River. 

Among  the  famous  buildings  in  the  park  are  Memorial 
Hall  and  Horticultural  Hall.    They  were  erected  at  the 
time  of  the  great  Centennial  Exhibition,  which  was  held 
in    Philadelphia   in 
18  76  to  celebrate  the 
hundredth  birthday 
of   American   inde 
pendence.  Memorial 
Hall  is  now  used  as 
an  art  gallery  and  city 
museum.    Horticul 
tural  Hall  contains 
a  magnificent  collec 
tion   of  plants  and 
botanical  specimens, 
brought  from  many          ONCE  THE  HOME  OF  WILLIAM  PENX 
different    countries. 

Another  interesting  building  in  Fairmount  Park  is  the 
little  brick  house  which  was  once  the  home  of  William 
Penn.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  brick  house  erected 
in  Philadelphia.  It  stood  on  a  lot  south  of  Market  Street, 
and  between  Front  and  Second  streets.  Some  years  ago  it 
was  moved  from  its  original  site  to  Fairmount  Park,  where 
thousands  of  people  now  visit  it.  Here  too,  before  the 
Revolutionary  War,  was  the  home  of  Robert  Morris,  the 
great  American  financier,  who,  during  that  wrar,  time  and 
again  raised  money  to  pay  the  soldiers  of  the  American  army. 


76       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Many  statues  of  American  heroes  ornament  the  drive 
ways  and  walks  of  Fairmount  Park.  At  the  Green  Street 
entrance  stands  one  of  the  finest  equestrian  statues 

of  Washington  in 
the  country.  The 
carved  base,  which 
is  made  of  granite 
and  decorated  with 
bronze  figures,  is 
approached  by  thir 
teen  steps,  to  rep 
resent  the  original 
thirteen  states. 

The  streets  of 
Philadelphia,  while 
not  broad,  are  well 
paved,  and  many  of 
them  are  bordered 
by  fine  old  trees.  It 
was  William  Penn 
who  named  many 
of  the  streets  after 

LOOKING  SOUTH  ON  BROAD  STREET  rp, 

trees.      The    names 

of  several  of  the  streets  in  the  oldest  part  of  the  town 
are  recalled  in  the  old  refrain : 

Market,  Arch,  Race,  and  Vine, 
Chestnut,  Walnut,  Spruce,  and  Pine. 

Philadelphia  is  a  city  of  homes.  Besides  its  splendid 
residential  suburbs,  it  has  miles  of  streets  lined  with  neat 
attractive  houses  where  live  the  city's  busy  workmen. 


BALLOON  VIEW  OF  FA1RMOUNT  PARK  AND  THE  SCHUYLIvILL 
RIVER,  1000  FEET  ABOVE  THE  GROUND 


PHILADELPHIA'S  WASHINGTON  MONUMENT 

77 


78       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Perhaps  the  city  hall  is  the  most  striking  of  the  nota 
ble  buildings.  It  is  a  massive  structure  of  marble  and 
granite  and  stands  at  the  intersection  of  Broad  and 
Market  streets.  This  immense  building  covers  four  and  a 
half  acres  and  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square 


THE  CITY  HALL 

around  an  open  court.  The  most  attractive  feature  of  the 
building  is  the  great  tower  surmounted  by  an  immense 
statue  of  William  Penn.  This  lofty  tower  is  nearly 
548  feet  high  and  is  90  feet  square  at  its  base.  It  is 
67  feet  higher  than  the  great  Pyramid  of  Egypt  and 
nearly  twice  as  high  as  the  dome  of  the  Capitol  at 
Washington.  The  Washington  Monument  exceeds  it  in 


PHILADELPHIA 


79 


height  by  but  a  few  feet.  The  great  statue  of  Penn  is 
as  tall  as  an  ordinary  three-story  house  and  weighs  over 
26  tons.  It  is  cast  of  bronze  and  was  made  of  47  pieces 
so  skillfully  put  together  that  the  closest  inspection  can 
scarcely  discover  the  seams.  Around  the  base  is  a  circle 
of  electric  lights  throwing  their  brilliant  illumination 
a  distance  of  30 
miles.  To  one  gaz 
ing  upwards,  the 
light  seems  to  cast 
a  blaze  of  glory 
about  the  beloved 
founder  of  the  city. 

Philadelphia  has 
many  fine  schools, 
both  public  and  pri 
vate.  The  two  most 
noted  educational 
institutions  are  the 
University  of  Penn 
sylvania  and  Girard 
College.  The  Uni 
versity  of  Pennsyl 
vania  was  founded 
largely  through  the  efforts  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  It  now 
occupies  more  than  fifty  buildings  west  of  the  Schuylkili 
River  and  is  widely  known  as  a  center  of  learning. 

Girard  College  was  the  gift  of  Stephen  Girard,  who, 
from  a  humble  cabin  boy,  became  one  of  Philadelphia's 
richest  benefactors.  The  college  is  a  charitable  institution 
devoted  to  the  education  of  orphan  boys,  who  are  admitted 


THE  CITY-HALL  STATUE  OF  PENN 


PHILADELPHIA  TO-DAY 

80 


PHILADELPHIA 


81 


to  it  between  the  ages  of  six  and  ten.  Girard  left  almost 
his  entire  fortune  of  over  $7,000,000  for  the  establishment 
of  this  great  educational  home  for  poor  boys.  Two  millions 
of  this  sum  were  for  the  erection  of  the  buildings  alone. 

Other  prominent  educational  institutions  are  the  Penn 
Charter  School,  chartered  by  William  Penn  ;  the  Academy 


THE  UNITED  STATES  MINT 

of  Fine  Arts ;  The  Drexel  Institute  for  the  promotion  of 
art,  science,  and  industry ;  the  School  of  Industrial  Art ; 
the  School  of  Design  for  Women ;  and  several  medical 
colleges  which  are  among  the  most  noted  in  the  country. 
When  the  United  States  became  an  independent  nation 
it  was  necessary  to  have  a  coinage  system  of  its  own.  In 
1792  a  mint  was  established  in  Philadelphia  to  coin 
money  for  the  LTnited  States  government.  All  of  our 


82       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


money  is  not  now  made  in  Philadelphia.  The  paper  cur 
rency  is  made  in  Washington,  and  there  are  mints  for 
the  coinage  of  gold,  silver,  and  copper  in  San  Francisco, 
Denver,  and  New  Orleans  as  well  as  in  Philadelphia. 

A  visit  to  the 
Philadelphia  mint 
is  most  interesting. 
Visitors  are  con 
ducted  through  the 
many  rooms  of  this 
great  money  factory 
and  are  shown  the 
successive  processes 
through  which  the 
gold,  silver,  nickel, 
and  copper  must  pass 
before  it  becomes 
money. 

We  first  see  the 
metal  in  the  form 
of  bars  or  bricks. 
In  another  room  we 
find  men  at  work 
melting  the  gold 

and  mixing  with  it  copper  and  other  metals  to  strengthen 
it.  Coins  of  pure  gold  would  wear  away  very  rapidly,  and 
so  these  other  metals  are  added.  The  prepared  metal  is 
cast  into  long  strips,  about  the  width  and  thickness  of  the 
desired  coins.  In  still  another  room  these  strips  are  fed  into 
a  machine  which  punches  out  round  pieces  of  the  size  and 
weight  required.  These  disks  are  then  carefully  weighed 


OLD  CHRIST  CHURCH 


PHILADELPHIA 


83 


and  inspected,  after  which  they  are  taken  to  the  coining 
room  to  receive  the  impression  of  figures  and  letters  which 
indicates  their  value.  One  by  one  the  blank  disks  are 
dropped  between  two  steel  dies.  The  upper  die  bears  the 
picture  and  lettering  which  is  to  appear  upon  the  face  of  the 
coin,  and  the  lower, 
that  which  is  to  ap 
pear  on  the  reverse 
side.  As  the  disk 
lies  between  them 
the  two  dies  come  to 
gether,  exerting  an 
enormous  pressure 
upon  the  cold  metal. 
The  pressure  is  then 
removed,  and  the 
bright  disk  drops 
from  the  machine, 
stamped  with  the  im 
pression  which  has 
changed  this  piece  of 
metal  into  a  coin  of 
the  United  States.  All  coins  are  made  in  much  the  same  way. 

In  our  brief  visit  we  see  many  wonderful  machines  for 
counting,  weighing,  and  sorting  the  thousands  of  coins 
which  are  daily  produced  in  this  busy  place.  At  every 
step  we  are  impressed  with  the  great  precautions  taken  to 
safeguard  the  precious  materials  handled. 

The  old  parts  of  Philadelphia  are  even  more  interesting 
than  the  mint,  because  of  their  historic  associations. 
Within  the  distance  of  a  few  squares  one  may  visit 


INDEPENDENCE  HALL 


84       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


famous  buildings  whose  very  names  send  thrills  of  pride 
through  the  heart  of  every  good  American. 

Old  Christ  Church,  whose  communion  service  was 
given  by  England's  Queen  Anne  in  1708,  is  perhaps  the 
most  noted  of  Philadelphia's  historic  churches.  In  this 
old  church  Benjamin  Franklin  worshiped  for  many  years, 
and  when  he  died  he  was  buried  in  its  quaint  church 
yard.  And  here  too 
George  Washington 
and  John  Adams 
worshiped  when  Phil 
adelphia  was  the 
capital  city. 

Carpenters'  Hall 
and  Independence 
Hall  ought  to  be 
known  and  remem 
bered  by  every  boy 
and  girl  in  Amer 
ica.  When  the  Mas 
sachusetts  colonists 
held  the  Boston  Tea 

Party,  England  undertook  to  punish  Massachusetts  by 
closing  her  chief  port.  This  meant  ruin  to  Boston.  All  the 
English  colonists  in  America  were  so  aroused  that  they 
determined  to  call  a  meeting  of  representatives  from  each 
colony,  to  consider  the  wisest  course  of  action  and  how  to 
help  Massachusetts.  It  was  in  Carpenters'  Hall  that  this 
first  Continental  Congress  met,  in  September,  1774.  The 
building  was  erected  in  1770  as  a  meeting  place  for  the 
house  carpenters  of  Philadelphia  —  hence  its  name. 


THE  LIBERTY  BELL 


PHILADELPHIA 


85 


On  Chestnut  Street  stands  the  old  statehouse,  which 
is  called  Independence  Hall  because  it  was  the  birthplace 
of  our  liberty.  Here  it  was  that,  when  all  hope  of  peace 
between  the  colonies 
and  England  had 
been  given  up,  the 
colonial  representa 
tives  met  in  1776  in 
the  Continental  Con 
gress  and  adopted  the 
Declaration  of  In 
dependence,  which 
declared  that  Eng 
land's  American  col 
onies  should  hence 
forth  be  free  and 
independent.  While 
the  members  of  Con 
gress  discussed  the 
Declaration  and  its 
adoption,  throngs 
packed  the  streets 
outside,  impatiently 
waiting  to  know  the 
result.  At  last  the 

THE  HOME  OF  BETSY  ROSS 

great  bell  rang  out 

—  the  signal  of  the  joyous  news  that  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  had  been  adopted. 

Independence  Hall  was  built  to  be  used  as  a  state 
house  for  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania.  The  old  building 
has  been  kept  as  nearly  as  possible  in  its  original  condition 


86 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


and  is  now  considered  "A  National  Monument  to  the 
Birth  of  the  Republic."  This  sacred  spot,  where  was 
enacted  the  most  far-reaching  event  in  America's  history 
is  used  as  the  home  of  many  historic  relics.  Among  these 
may  be  found  the  Liberty  Bell,  which  hung  in  the  tower 
of  the  statehouse  for  many  years.  It  was  later  removed 


THE  FIRST  UNITED  STATES  FLAG 

from  the  tower  and  placed  on  exhibition  in  the  building. 
It  has  made  many  journeys  to  exhibitions  in  various  cities, 
such  as  New  Orleans,  Atlanta,  Chicago,  Charleston,  Boston, 
St.  Louis,  and  San  Francisco.  The  old  bell  is  now  shown 
in  a  glass  case  at  the  main  entrance  to  Independence  Hall. 
On  Arch  Street,  not  far  from  Independence  Hall,  is  the 
little  house  where  it  is  claimed  the  first  American  flag  was 
made  by  Betsy  Ross. 


PHILADELPHIA  87 

For  ten  years,  from  1790  to  1800,  Philadelphia  was  the 
capital  of  the  United  States.  In  this  city  Washington  and 
Adams  were  inaugurated  for  their  second  term  as  presi 
dent  and  vice-president,  and  here  Adams  was  inaugurated 
president  in  1797. 

Philadelphia  to-day  is  a  great  city:  great  in  industry, 
great  in  commerce,  and  great  in  near-by  resources.  Every 
street  of  the  old  part  of  the  town  is  rich  in  historic  memo 
ries.  William  Penn  dreamed  of  a  magnificent  city,  and  the 
City  of  Brotherly  Love  is  worthy  of  her  founder's  dream. 


PHILADELPHIA 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  2,000,000  (1,823,779). 
Third  city  in  rank  according  to  population. 
Place  of  great  historic  interest : 

Founded  by  William  Penn. 

Home  of  Benjamin  Franklin. 

First  Continental  Congress  met  here  in  1774. 

Declaration  of  Independence  signed  here  in  1776. 

Capital  of  the  nation  from  1790  to  1800. 

First  United  States  mint  located  here. 
A  great  industrial  and  commercial  center. 
Ranks  third  in  the  country  as  a  manufacturing  city. 
Principal  industries : 

Leads  the  world  in  the  making  of  woolen  carpets. 

Has  the  largest  locomotive  works  in  the  United  States. 

Manufactures  woolen  and  worsted  goods. 

Ranks  high  in  printing  and  publishing,  the  refining 

of  sugar,  and  shipbuilding. 
Deep-water  communication  with  the  sea. 


88       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  When,   how,   and    by    whom    was    the    site    of   Phila 
delphia  acquired  ? 

2.  Compare  the  city  of  1683  with  that  of  to-day. 

3.  How  does  Philadelphia  rank  in  size  and  manufactures 
among  the  great  cities  of  the  United  States  ? 

4.  Name  several  advantages  which  have  helped  to  make 
the  city  a  great  industrial  and  commercial  center. 

5.  What  are  the  leading  exports  of  the  city  ? 

6.  Name  some  of  the  important  industries  of  Philadelphia. 

7.  Tell   what  you  can  of  Philadelphia's   great   iron  and 
steel  works. 

8.  Tell  something  of  the  history  and  the  present  impor 
tance  of  printing  in  Philadelphia. 

9.  Give  some  interesting  facts  about  the  city's  great  park 

10.  State  briefly  some  of  the  things  which  may  be  seen  in 
a  visit  to  the  mint. 

11.  What  events   of  great   historical   interest    have    taken 
place  in  Carpenters'  Hall  and  Independence  Hall  ? 


DETROIT 

In  population,  Detroit  is  the  fourth  city  of  the  United 
States. 

In  the  value  of  its  manufactured  products,  it  is  fifth. 

In  the  value  of  its  exports,  it  is  the  leading  port  on 
the  Canadian  border. 

With  these  facts  in  mind  it  will  be  interesting  to  learn 
something  of  the  history  of  Detroit ;  something  of  the 
goods  it  manufactures  and  the  reasons  for  its  growth  and 
prosperity. 

During  the  years  when  the  French  governed  Canada, 
manufacturing  and  agriculture  played  a  very  small  part 
in  their  affairs.  Their  business  men  were  chiefly  inter 
ested  in  the  fur  trade ;  their  governors  were  interested 
mainly  in  extending  the  territory  over  which  floated  the 
banner  of  their  king;  and  the  teaching  of  Christianity  to 
the  hordes  of  Indians  who  inhabited  the  country  seemed  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  their  priests  and  missionaries. 

So,  because  it  served  the  purpose  of  each,  all  three 
classes  —  the  fur  traders,  the  crown  officers,  and  the  mis 
sionaries — worked  hand  in  hand  in  exploring  and  in  pen 
etrating  the  wilderness  in  every  direction.  They  suffered 

89 


90        GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


every  hardship,  endured  every  privation,  and  very  often 
fell  victims  to  the  cruelty  of  the  savages. 

In  those  days  of  French  rule,  railroads  were  unheard 
of,  and  wagon  roads  were  almost  as  scarce.  Travel  was 
sometimes  through  the  woods,  along  the  trails  made  by 
the  Indians ;  but  usually  it  was  by  the  water  courses, 


THE  GREAT  LAKES 


over  which  the  Indian  canoes  carried  furs  to  be  traded 
for  the  goods  of  the  French. 

Now  if  you  will  look  at  a  map  which  shows  the  Cana 
dian  border  of  the  United  States  -and  follow  the  course 
of  the  Great  Lakes,  you  will  see  that  at  four  places  their 
broad  waters  narrow  into  rivers  or  straits.  These  places 
are  first,  the  Niagara  River ;  second,  where  the  waters 
of  Lake  Huron  pass  into  Lake  Erie ;  third,  at  the  Sault 
Ste.  Marie;  and  fourth,  at  the  Straits  of  Mackinac. 

Between  the  East  and  the  West,  the  Great  Lakes  and 
the  St.  Lawrence  River  formed  the  main  artery  of  travel. 
To  control  the  narrow  rivers  and  straits  that  connect  the 


DETROIT  91 

Great  Lakes  was  to  control  the  travel  over  them,  and 
as  the  French  extended  their  rule  from  Quebec  to  the 
West,  they  fortified  these  narrow  places  one  by  one. 

Fort  Niagara  was  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara 
River.  Then  on  July  24,  1701,  Antoine  de  la  Mothe 
Cadillac  landed  on  the  banks  of  the  Detroit  River  and 
began  the  work  of  building  a  palisade  fort,  almost  where 
the  river  widens  into  Lake  Saint  Clair. 

Cadillac  thought  that  at  Fort  Detroit  he  had  found  one 
of  the  garden  spots  of  the  country.  In  the  pine  forests 
of  the  Michigan  peninsula  game  of  every  sort  abounded, 
and  their  skins  enriched  alike  the  Indians  and  the  French. 
The  waters  of  Lake  Saint  Clair  swarmed  with  wild  fowl. 
In  the  woods  wild  grapes  grew  in  profusion,  and  the  rich 
lands  bordering  both  sides  of  the  river  assured  plentiful 
crops,  depending  only  upon  the  industry  of  those  who 
tilled  the  soil.  However,  in  spite  of  his  enthusiasm  over 
the  beauty  of  the  site,  Cadillac  proceeded  to  lay  out  a 
very  ugly  little  town  with  rude  dwellings  huddled  along 
narrow  muddy  streets. 

Such  as  it  was,  Detroit  remained  under  French  rule 
for  fifty-nine  years,  becoming  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
of  the  French  outposts.  The  Indians  were,  for  the  most 
part,  friendly  with  the  French,  and  in  1760  the  place  had 
a  population  of  2500,  which  made  it  of  great  importance 
in  the  sparsely  settled  West. 

Then  came  the  years  of  the  French  and  Indian  wars, 
and  finally  the  French,  having  lost  Quebec,  w^ere  obliged 
to  surrender  to  the  English.  So  in  November,  1760,  De 
troit  was  given  up  to  Major  Robert  Rogers  in  command 
of  a  detachment  of  British  regulars  and  American  militia. 


92         GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  English  were  not  allowed  to  remain  long  in  undis 
turbed  possession  of  their  new  outpost.  Pontiac,  chief  of 
the  Ottawas  and  one  of  the  craftiest  of  all  Indian  war 
riors,  was  friendly  to  the  French.  In  1763,  through  his 
immense  influence  with  all  the  Western  tribes,  he  organized 
a  conspiracy  to  drive  the  English  from  the  territory  which 
they  had  won  with  such  difficulty.  Detroit  was  one  of 
the  first  places  to  be  attacked.  The  siege  lasted  several 
months,  but  in  spite  of  the  cruelty  and  cunning  of  the 
attack,  the  garrison  held  out  until  at  last  relief  came. 
Thus  by  their  bravery  they  did  much  to  prevent  the  suc 
cess  of  Pontiac's  Conspiracy,  as  the  uprising  is  called. 

Then  came  the  Revolution.  At  its  close,  the  Treaty  of 
Paris  was  signed  in  1783.  By  the  terms  of  this  treaty, 
Detroit,  together  with  the  other  British  outposts  in  the 
West,  became  the  property  of  the  United  States.  How 
ever,  it  was  not  until  1796  that  the  place  was  actually 
occupied  by  American  troops. 

Sixteen  years  later  Detroit  again  passed  into  the  pos 
session  of  the  British.  This  was  during  the  war  of  1812 
and  followed  the  defeat  of  General  William  Hull's  ill- 
fated  expedition  into  Canada.  Falling  back  to  Detroit, 
Hull  was  attacked,  and  surrendered  to  the  British  after 
a  half-hearted  resistance. 

A  little  more  than  a  year  later,  however,  in  October, 
1813,  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  won  the  famous  battle  of 
Lake  Erie.  This  gave  the  Americans  control  of  the  lake, 
and  the  British  soon  abandoned  Detroit,  which  has  since 
remained  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States. 

Detroit  had  prospered  but  little  since  1760.  Its  inhabi 
tants  were  for  the  most  part  easy-going  Frenchmen.  They 


DETKOIT 


93 


were  not  suited  to  the  strenuous  work  of  city  building. 
Detroit,  instead  of  growing  larger,  was  becoming  smaller ; 
and  when,  in  1820,  the  United  States  took  a  census  of  the 
place,  it  had  but  1442  inhabitants  as  against  the  2500 
that  Major  Rogers  found  in  1760. 

But  from  1820  the  growth  of   Detroit  has  been  con 
tinuous.    In  1825  the  Erie  Canal  was  opened,  furnishing 


DETROIT  IX  1820,  AND  STEAMER    W AL  K- 1 N-T HE-WATER 

(From  an  old  print) 

an  easy  means  of  communication  from  the  East  to  the 
West.  Then  came  a  great  tide  of  immigration  to  all  the 
states  bordering  on  the  Great  Lakes.  Michigan  was  one  of 
the  first  to  profit,  and  Detroit  was  the  gateway  to  Michigan. 
Most  of  the  pioneers  who  sought  homes  in  the  West 
were  farmers.  The  life  of  cities  and  villages  offered  few 
attractions  to  them.  The  number  that  stayed  in  Detroit 


94        GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

was  small  as  compared  to  the  number  that  passed  through 
into  the  back  country  to  clear  the  woodlands  and  take 
up  the  work  of  agriculture. 

But  as  the  back  country  rilled  up,  there  came  a  demand 
for  the  things  in  which  cities  deal,  while  at  the  same  time 
there  came  the  need  of  places  where  the  products  of  the 


A  DRY  DOCK 

farm  could  be  gathered  together  ready  for  transportation 
to  the  Eastern  market. 

In  this  way  Detroit  began  its  great  growth.  It  bought 
the  wool  and  wheat  which  the  Michigan  farmers  raised, 
and  shipped  them  East.  It  bought  from  the  East  the  dry 
goods,  hardware,  and  various  other  things  which  the 
Michigan  farmers  needed,  and  distributed  them.  It  grew 


DETROIT 


95 


prosperous  as  the  country  back  of  it  became  more  popu 
lated,  and  as  this  population  became  richer  and  able  to 
buy  larger  amounts  and  more  expensive  goods,  Detroit 
reaped  the  advantage. 

Then  too  the  traffic  on  the  lakes  became  more  impor 
tant,  requiring  larger  and  better  vessels.    Detroit  has  one 


A  PASSENGER  STEAMER 


of  the  best  harbors  on  all  the  Great  Lakes,  making  it 
splendidly  suited  for  the  building  and  launching  of  ves 
sels.  Always  engaged  more  or  less  in  shipbuilding,  Detroit 
improved  its  shipyards  and  kept  pace  with  the  demand. 
To-day  it  builds  all  types  of  vessels,  from  magnificent 
passenger  steamers  to  the  great  steel  ore  ships  which 
carry  the  iron  ore  of  the  Lake  Superior  districts. 


96 


GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


It  was  in  1860  that  Detroit  began  to  take  its  place 
among  the  industrial  cities  of  the  country.  Now  it  is 
riftli  among  the  cities  of  the  United  States  in  the  value 
of  its  manufactured  products.  Let  us  see  what  its  chief 
industries  are. 

First  of  all  comes  the  manufacture  of  automobiles  and 
the  parts  of  which  they  are  made.  It  is  estimated  that 
more  than  half  of  all  the  automobiles  made  in  the  United 


A  LAKE  VESSEL  BUILT  IN  DETROIT 


States  are  built  in  Detroit  factories.  Until  1899  there 
was  not  a  single  automobile  factory  in  the  city.  To-day 
there  are  over  thirty,  many  of  them  covering  acres  of 
ground. 

As  few  of  the  automobile  factories  make  all  the  parts 
of  their  machines,  there  are  in  Detroit  many  shops  for 
the  manufacture  of  steel,  aluminium,  and  brass  castings, 
and  of  gears,  wheels,  and  various  other  automobile  parts. 


DETROIT  97 

Another  of  Detroit's  important  industries  is  the  manu 
facture  and  repair  of  steam-  and  electric-railroad  cars. 
These  are  largely  freight  cars,  although  many  passenger 
cars  are  also  made. 

Other  lines  of  business  include  foundry  and  machine- 
shop  products,  the  making  of  druggists'  preparations,  the 
manufacture  of  flour,  the  packing  of  beef  and  pork,  and 
the  preparation  of  other  food  stuffs. 


\Y1IEKE  AUTOMOBILES  ARE  .MADE 

Then  Detroit  makes  great  quantities  of  soda  ash  and 
alkalies.  This  industry  Detroit  owes  to  the  fact  that  here 
are  found  both  limestone  and  salt,  which  is  obtained  from 
wells  driven  along  the  river  bank.  Both  of  these  materials 
are  required  in  the  manufacture  of  soda  ash. 

The  printing-and-publishing  business  gives  employment 
to  thousands ;  so  does  the  manufacture  of  paints  and  var 
nishes.  In  stoves,  ranges,,  and  furnaces,  Detroit  leads 


98         GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

• 

every  other  city  in  the  country.  It  is  interesting  to  know 
that  Detroit  makes  great  numbers  of  adding  machines, 
that  it  is  the  largest  producer  of  overalls  in  the  country, 
that  it  is  a  center  of  the  brass  industry,  that  it  turns  out 
more  than  300,000,000  cigars  each  year,  and  that  it  is 
one  of  the  largest  producers  of  wrought-  and  malleable- 
iron  castings. 

The  entire  business  of  a  city  is,  of  course,  never  wholly 
manufacturing.  Part  of  its  business  is  always  the  dis 
tribution  of  things  to  supply  the  needs  of  its  inhabitants 
and  of  the  people  who  live  in  the  surrounding  country. 

When  these  goods  are  sold  in  large  quantities  to  mer 
chants  who  in  turn  sell  them  to  the  person  using  them, 
the'  business  is  known  as  a  wholesale  business.  When 
they  are  sold  by  the  merchant  directly  to  the  user,  he  does 
what  is  called  a  retail  business. 

The  wholesale  business  of  Detroit  is  very  large.  Its 
merchants  do  the  larger  part  of  the  wholesale  business 
through  the  entire  state  of  Michigan  and  in  parts  of 
northern  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Minne 
sota.  They  even  furnish  certain  supplies  to  some  parts  of 
Canada.  Dry  goods,  drugs,  hardware,  and  groceries  are 
the  principal  things  in  Avhich  Detroit  wholesalers  deal. 

Detroit  has  also  many  large  retail  stores,  which  supply 
not  only  the  people  who  live  in  the  city  of  Detroit  but 
those  in  the  surrounding  country  as  well.  Thanks  to  the 
many  suburban  electric  railroads  and  the  many  steam 
roads,  the  people  who  live  in  the  smaller  places  are  able 
to  come  to  Detroit  to  purchase  things  they  want. 

Now  let  ns  take  our  map  again  and  notice  the  loca 
tion  of  Detroit  in  relation  to  the  rest  of  the  country,  for 


DETROIT  99 

location,  as  you   know,  has   very   much  to   do   with  the 
growth  of  cities. 

We  find  in  the  first  place  that  it  is  separated  from 
Canada  by  only  the  width  of  a  river.  So  we  are  not  sur 
prised  to  hear  that  Detroit  is  one  of  the  principal  points 
for  the  exchange  of  goods  between  the  two  countries. 


THE  DETROIT  RIVER  TUNNEL 

The  two  most  important  Canadian  railroads  have  termi 
nals  at  Windsor,  on  the  Canadian  side  of  the  water,  and 
also  at  Detroit.  A  very  large  part  of  the  United  States 
finds  Detroit  the  most  convenient  point  from  which  to 
send  its  products  into  Canada,  since  goods  can  so  easily 
be  brought  to  Detroit  by  water  or  rail. 

Statistics  issued  by  the  United  States  government  show 
that  of  the  eighteen  customhouses  on  the  Canadian  border 
the  one  at  Detroit  does  the  largest  volume  of  business. 


100       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Then  too,  by  the  lakes,  Detroit  can  reach  all  of  the 
American  lake  ports,  and  from  Buffalo,  through  the  Erie 
Canal,  it  can  even  reach  New  York. 

The  many  railroads  which  serve  Detroit  give  it  excel 
lent  communication  with  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 
The  Michigan  Central  Railroad  dives  under  the  river,  from 
Detroit  to  Windsor,  through  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
tunnels  in  the  world.  For  years  the  cars  of  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad,  both  passenger  and  freight,  were  carried 
across  the  river  on  ferryboats.  This,  of  course,  was  a  very 
slow  way  of  crossing,  but  a  bridge  was  impractical  for 
various  reasons,  so  at  last  it  was  decided  to  build 
a  tunnel. 

When  the  engineers  studied  the  river  bottom,  they 
found  that  it  was  covered  with  mud  so  deep  that  it  was 
impossible  to  build  a  tunnel  under  it.  Instead  they  built 
the  tunnel  of  steel  on  the  river  bank,  and  when  it  was 
completed  they  sank  it  in  sections  and  then  fastened 
it  together. 

Two  belt-line  railroads,  extending  from  .the  river  bank, 
circle  through  Detroit.  One  is  some  two  miles  from  the 
center,  the  other,  six.  Along  these  railroads  are  many 
factories  which  have  switches  directly  into  their  plants. 
This  makes  shipping  a  simple  matter  for  the  Detroit 
manufacturers. 

Now,  having  learned  something  of  the  history  of  Detroit, 
something  of  the  manufacturing  which  it  does  and  the 
commerce  it  carries  on,  let  us  take  a  look  at  the  city  itself. 

The  older  parts  of  most  great  cities  are  badly  laid  out. 
In  very  few  cases  do  men  realize  that  their  little  settle 
ments  are  to  grow  into  large  cities.  And  so  they  pay 'little 


"102      GK*EAT  CITIES  'OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

attention  to  laying  out  streets,  but  in  building  their 
houses  follow  the  farm  lanes  and  often  the  paths  made 
by  the  cows  as  they  are  driven  to  and  from  the  pastures. 
This  is  not  always  the  case  however.  Washington  was 
laid  out  long  before  it  ever  became  a  city,  and,  in  conse 
quence,  it  has  magnificent  broad  streets  and  many  parks. 


NORTH  WOODWARD  AVENUE 

Detroit  was  one  of  the  badly  laid-out  settlements,  but 
in  1805  a  fire  burned  every  house  in  Detroit  with  one 
exception.  Now  at  that  time  Judge  Augustus  B.  Wood 
ward  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  city  government. 
When  the  fire  wiped  out  the  old  town,  the  judge  thought 
that  a  plan  should  be  made  for  Detroit  just  as  had  been 
done  for  Washington.  His  idea  was  to  have  a  great 
circle,  called  the  Grand  Circus,  in  the  center  of  the 
town.  Two  streets,  120  feet  wide,  were  to  cross  this 
circle,  dividing  it  into  quarters,  and  from  the  circle 


DETROIT  103 

other  broad  avenues  were  to  radiate  in  all  directions. 
As  the  city  grew,  other  circles  were  to  be  built  with 
streets  radiating  from  them. 

Unfortunately  the  citizens  of  Detroit  did  not  have  the 
belief  in  the  growth  of  their  city  that  Judge  Woodward 
had,  and  so  his  scheme  was  only  carried  out  in  part.  That 
part,  however,  gave  to  Detroit  its  Grand  Circus,  its  broad 
avenues,  and  its  down-town  parks,  and  did  much  to  earn 
for  it  the  title  of  the  City  Beautiful. 

Detroit  to-day  has  many  splendid  and  costly  residences. 
It  has  also  street  after  street  filled  with  comfortable 
medium-priced  houses  where  the  workmen  live,  and  its 
people  are  fond  of  boasting  that  it  is  a  city  of  homes. 

Woodward  Avenue,  which  is  120  feet  wide,  is  named 
after  Judge  Woodward.  This  avenue  runs  from  the  river 
bank  right  through  the  entire  city.  It  is  the  principal  re 
tail  street  of  the  city.  Here  stands  the  great  public  library 
which  ranks  as  one  of  the  finest  in  the  United  States. 

As  the  town  grew,  a  boulevard  was  built,  which,  start 
ing  at  the  river,  runs  completely  around  the  city  at  a  dis 
tance  of  some  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  center. 
This  boulevard  is  known  as  the  Grand  Boulevard  and  is 
more  than  12  miles  long  and  from  150  to  200  feet  in 
width.  In  the  center  is  a-  narrow  strip  upon  which  are 
grown  flowers,  trees,  and  grass,  while  upon  either  side 
run  macadam  roads. 

The  most  popular  of  Detroit's  parks  is  Belle  Isle.  This 
is  on  an  island  of  about  700  acres,  directly  opposite  the 
city.  Originally  the  island  was  for  the  most  part  a  swamp 
infested  with  snakes.  In  order  to  get  rid  of  the  snakes 
a  drove  of  hogs  was  turned  loose  on  the  island,  and  for  a 


104      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

long  time  it  was  known  as  Hog  Island.  Then  the  city 
bought  it  and  turned  it  into  a  park.  The  swamps  were 
drained,  and  lakes  and  canals  were  built,  which  in  the 
summer  time  are  covered  with  canoes  and  boats.  In.  the 
winter  they  make  excellent  places  for  skating.  Play 
grounds,  baseball  fields,  and  picnic  grounds  were  laid  out 


AT  BELLE  ISLE 


and  a  zoo  was  built,  as  well  as  one  of  the  best  aquariums 
in  the  country.  And  here,  too,  is  a  horticultural  building, 
where  many  rare  plants  and  flowers  are  grown.  A  large 
part  of  the  island  was  covered  with  woods,  and  this  was 
left  in  its  native  state,  with  winding  roads  built  through 
it.  The  island  is  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a 
broad  bridge. 


DETROIT  105 

The  health  conditions  of  Detroit  are  excellent.  Its 
water  supply  is  taken  at  a  depth  of  40  feet  from  the 
Detroit  River,  just  where  it  leaves  Lake  Saint  Clair.  The 
city  has  an  ample  sewerage  system.  It  has  many  fine 
public  schools,  and  here  also  are  the  University  of  Detroit 
and  the  Detroit  colleges  of  law  and  medicine.  In  short, 
from  every  point  of  view  Detroit  is  a  good  place  in  which 
to  live. 

A  short  time  ago  prizes  were  offered  to  the  public-school 
pupils  in  the  fifth,  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  grades  for 
the  five  best  essays  on  "  Why  I  am  Glad  I  live  in 
Detroit."  Here  is  what  one  sixth-grade  boy  wrote  about 
his  home  city  : 

"  What  a  beautiful  city  is  Detroit,"  says  the  world-wide 
traveler,  as  he  passes  along  its  broad  avenues,  in  the  shade  of 
its  magnificent  trees.  "  Detroit  has  a  fine  commercial  center," 
says  the  enterprising  manufacturer  as  he  surveys  its  busy 
wharves.  "  What  an  excellent  situation  this  city  has,"  says 
the  farmer,  as  he  comes  trudging  to  town  with  his  load  of 
produce.  "  In  Detroit  life  is  worth  living,"  says  the  happy 
pleasure  seeker,  as  he  whiles  away  his  time,  either  on  the  lake 
or  in  its  many  parks  and  boulevards.  "  You  can  have  loads  of 
fun  at  Belle  Isle,"  whispers  the  small  boy,  as  he  thinks  of  the 
many  pastimes  which  so  appeal  to  every  child.  "  What  an  in 
teresting  history  has  Detroit,"  says  the  historian,  as  he  recalls 
its  many  struggles,  first  with  the  Indians,  then  with  the 
French,  and  last  of  all  the  English. 

Many  strangers  will  come  to  our  city  during  the  next 
few  months,  and  I  know  that  after  they  have  seen  it  and 
go  to  their  homes  again,  they  will  tell  their  neighbors  and 
friends  of  our  beautiful  city,  and  I,  who  live  here,  will  be 
very  proud  of  it. 


106       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


DETROIT  , 

FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  1,000,000  (993,678). 
Fourth  city  in  rank,  according  to  population. 
Important  shipping  and  manufacturing  center. 
Important  center  for  trade  with  Canada. 
Most  important  center  in   United  States  for  the  auto 
mobile  industry. 
Place  of  great  historical  interest. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  How  does  Detroit  rank  among  our  great  cities  in  popu 
lation,  manufactured  products,  and  exports  ? 

2.  What  were  the   ambitions   of  the    French    governors, 
traders,  and  missionaries  of  Canada  in  the  early  days  ? 

3.  Why  did  the  French  build  forts  on  the  narrow  rivers 
and  straits  that  connect  the  Great  Lakes  ? 

4.  Describe  Detroit  and  its  surroundings  in  1701. 

5.  How  and  when  did  the  English  first  acquire  Detroit  ? 

6.  How  did  the  development  of  the  farm  lands  about  the 
city  help  the  growth  of  Detroit  ? 

7.  Tell  about  its  growth  since  1760.  and  give  three  causes. 

8.  Xame  and  describe  some  of  the  industries  of  the  city. 

9.  Tell  something  of  its  vast  wholesale  and  retail  trade. 

10.  Show  how  the  location  of  Detroit  influences  its  com 
merce  and  contributes  to  its  growth. 

11.  Name    three    products    in  the    manufacture   of    which 
Detroit  leads  all  other  cities  in  the  country. 

12.  What  corjditions  have  made  Detroit  a  great  center  for 
commercial  relations  with  Canada  ? 


CLEVELAND 

In  the  days  that  followed  the  Revolution,  Connecti 
cut  claimed  certain  lands  south  of  Lake  Erie.  A  large 
part  of  these  she  sold  to  the  Connecticut  Land  Company, 
who  wanted  to  colonize  the  country  and  establish  New 
Connecticut. 

It  was  in  1796  that  the  Connecticut  Land  Company 
sent  General  Moses  Cleaveland  west,  to  survey  the  land 
and  choose  a  site  for  a  settlement,  After  surveying  about 
sixty  miles,  Cleaveland  fixed  on  a  plateau  just  south  of 
Lake  Erie,  where  the  Cuyahoga  River  runs  into  the  lake, 
boon  the  settlement  was  laid  out  with  a  square  and  two 
main  streets  and  Avas  very  properly  called  Cleaveland. 
The  name  was  spelled  with  an  «,  just  as  Moses  Cleave 
land  spelled  his  name.  There  is  no  a  in  the  city's  name 
to-day,  the  story  being  that  the  extra  letter  was  dropped, 
and  the  new  spelling  adopted,  in  1831,  through  a  news 
paper's  claiming  that  the  a  would  not  fit  conveniently 
into  its  headline. 

At  first  the  new  settlement  did  not  prosper.  The  soil 
was  poor,  and  commerce  along  the  Ohio  River  attracted  im 
migrants  into  the  interior.  Those  that  stayed  in  Cleveland 

107 


108      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

had  a  hard  struggle  with  fever.  The  mouth  of  the  Cuya- 
hoga  River  was  frequently  choked  with  sand,  making  the 
water  in  the  river's  bed  stagnant  and  furnishing  a  breeding 
place  for  malaria-carrying  mosquitoes.  During  the  summer 
and  autumn  of  1798  affairs  were  in  a  desperate  condition. 
Every  one  in  the  settlement  was  miserable.  There  was  no 
flour,  and  for  two  months  Nathaniel  Doan's  boy  was  the 
only  person  strong  enough  to  go  to  the  house  of  one  James 
Kingsbury,  on  the  highlands  back  of  the  town,  for  corn. 
This  he  carried  to  a  gristmill  at  ^ewburgh,  six  miles  to 
the  south,  and  had  it  ground  into  meal  for  the  sick. 

Besides  the  suffering  caused  by  fever,  there  was  danger 
of  Indian  attacks  and  the  ever-present  dread  of  the  wolves 
and  bears  which  prowled  about  the  settlement,  so  that  no 
one  dared  go  out  at  night  unarmed,  and  no  door  was  left 
without  a  loaded  musket  to  guard  it. 

But  in  spite  of  the  dangers  of  these  early  years,  the 
settlers  for  the  most  part  led  a  busy,  happy  life.  The 
women  especially  had  their  hands  full  —  keeping  their 
houses  clean  and  neat ;  doing  the  cooking  and  baking ; 
spinning,  weaving,  cutting  out,  and  sewing  the  clothes 
for  their  families  (usually  large)  and  knitting  their  stock 
ings.  Then  there  were  the  sick  to  be  visited  and  nursed, 
and  the  neighbors  to  be  helped  with  their  quilting. 

When  a  new  settler  arrived,  all  the  men  would  pitch 
in  and  help  in  the  "cabin  raising,"  finishing  the  work  in 
short  order.  They  often  ended  up  with  a  jolly  dance, 
though  the  music  was  sometimes  nothing  more  than  the 
whistling  of  the  dancers. 

For  the  first  ten  years  Cleveland  was  only  a  hamlet 
of  a  few  dozen  people.  Still  it  continued  to  exist,  and 


CLEVELAND  109 

in  1815  was  incorporated  as  a  village.  Another  year  saw 
the  first  bank  started,  and  before  long  its  first  newspaper, 
was  printed.  This  paper  was  supposed  to  be  a  weekly, 
but  often  appeared  only  every  ten,  twelve,  or  fifteen  days, 
at  the  convenience  of  the  editor. 

Already,  in  supplying  her  own  needs,  Cleveland  was 
laying  the  foundation  for  some  of  her  future  industries. 
In  fact,  soon  after  the  settlement  was  founded,  Nathaniel 
Doan  built  a  blacksmith  shop  on  what  is  now  Superior 
Avenue.  Though  the  shop  was  only  a  rude  affair  built 
of  logs,  it  deserves  the  name  of  Cleveland's  first  manu 
facturing  plant.  Here  Nathaniel  Doan  not  only  shod  the 
few  horses  which  needed  his  services  but  made  tools  as 
well.  A  gristmill  and  sawmill  came  next,  and  then  began 
\he  building  of  small  schooners. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century  there  was 
practically  no  way  of  communicating  with  the  settlements 
on  the  Ohio  River.  And  except  for  an  occasional  party 
of  French  and  Indians,  there  was  no  means  of  hearing 
from  Detroit.  In  1818,  however,  regular  stage  routes 
began  to  be  opened.  One  line  went  to  Columbus,  one  to 
Norwalk,  and  one  to  Painesville.  This  last  route  advertised 
that  its  stage  would  leave  Cleveland  at  two  on  Friday 
afternoon  and  would  reach  Painesville  on  Saturday  morn 
ing  at  eight  —  a  journey  which  to-day  can  easily  be  made 
by  automobile  in  a  little  more  than  an  hour.  Turnpikes 
soon  displaced  these  rough  stage  routes,  and  over  them 
great  six -horse  wagons  drew  freight  into  Cleveland. 

Though  all  these  things  helped  Cleveland,  it  was  still 
nothing  more  than  a  village — and  so  primitive  a  village 
that  when  two  hundred  dollars  was  voted  for  improvements, 


110       GEE  AT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


one  of  the  old  citizens  asked,  ''What  011  earth  can  the  trustees 
find  in  this  village  to  spend  two  hundred  dollars  on  ?  " 

Finally,   came  two  events  which  were  the   making  of 
Cleveland.    In   1827  the   Ohio  Canal   was  opened   from 


0      10     20     30     4C 


CLEVELAND  AND  HER  NEIGHBORS 

Cleveland  to  Akron  and  later  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto 
River,  which  flows  into  the  Ohio  at  Portsmouth;  and  in 
1828  a  channel  was  cut  through  the  bar  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Cuyahoga  River.  Consider  what  this  meant  to 
Cleveland.  The  Ohio  Canal  connected  the  village  with 


CLEVELAND 


111 


the  Ohio  River,  thus  putting  Cleveland  in  touch  with  the 
rich  coal,  iron,  oil,  and  coke  lands  of  western  Pennsyl 
vania.  Travelers,  too,  found  the  canal  boats  much  better 
to  journey  on  than  the  old  stagecoaches. 

The  deepening  of  the   mouth   of  the  Cuyahoga  River 
gave  Cleveland  a  harbor  and  a  place  to  build  the  enormous 


A  RIVER  SCENE 


docks  which  to-day  line  the  river's  shore  for  the  last  few 
miles  of  its  length.  A  few  years  earlier  an  effort  to  pro 
tect  lake  vessels  had  been  made  by  building  a  pier  out 
into  the  lake  near  the  sand  bar.  The  lake  soon  tore  the 
pier  to  pieces,  however,  and  the  vessels  still  had  to  be 
hauled  over  the  bar  to  safety.  But  with  the  sand  bar  cut, 
boats  could  sail  in  and  out  of  the  river  at  their  pleasure. 


112      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Splendid  results  followed.  The  population  increased, 
frame  houses  gradually  came  to  take  the  place  of  log 
cabins,  business  greatly  improved,  and  in  1836  Cleveland 
became  a  city. 

The  year  1851  saw  a  great  celebration  in  Cleveland  over 
the  opening  of  the  first  railroad.  This  brought  added 


AN  ORE  STEAMER  ENTERING  CLEVELAND'S  HARBOR 

prosperity  to  the  city.  Then,  too,  iron  ore  began  to  arrive 
by  water  from  the  Lake  Superior  mines.  At  the  same  time 
more  and  more  coal  was  being  received.  The  manufac 
turers  commenced  to  appreciate  the  tremendous  advantages 
of  living  at  a  natural  meeting  place  of  these  two  great 
necessities.  Cleveland  awoke  to  a  new  business  activity. 
Then  came  the  Civil  War,  and  the  manufacturing  of 
iron  products  for  the  government  crowded  Cleveland's 


CLEVELAND 


113 


factories.  During  the  years  of  the  war  the  refining  of 
coal  oil  developed  into  one  of  the  city's  leading  indus 
tries.  It  was  then  that  the  great  Standard  Oil  Com 
pany  was  organized.  Many  came  to  the  city,  attracted  by 
these  growing  industries,  so  that  what  proved  a  disastrous 


COAL  DOCKS 

period    in    many   sections   of    our    country    was    really    a 
time   of  growth  for  Cleveland. 

Soon  after  the  war  East  Cleveland  was  annexed  to  the 
city,  and  in  1873  Newburgh  too  became  a  part  of  Cleve 
land.  Then,  in  1893,  West  Cleveland  and  Brooklyn  were 
taken  in,  and  when  Cleveland  celebrated  the  anniversary 
of  its  founding  in  1896,  it  had  become  a  city  of  great 
importance  in  the  country. 


Southworth  &  Kramer  —  Great  Cities 


114 


CLEVELAND 


115 


At  present 
Cleveland  ex 
tends  for  over 
14  miles  along 
Lake  Erie  and 
covers  more  than 
50  square  miles. 
The  larger  part 
of  the  city  lies 
to  the  east  of 
the  Cuyahoga 
River.  The  val 
ley  of  this  river 
is  filled  with  car 
tracks,  lumber 
yards,  car  shops, 
coal  sheds,  ore 
docks,  and  ship 
yards.  Being  in 
the  valley,  these 
are  partially  hid 
den  from  the 
city.  Huge  via 
ducts  span  the 
valley  and  unite 
the  east  and 
west  sides  of 
Cleveland. 

The  heart  of 
the  business 
quarter  and  the 


116      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

center  of  the  street  railway  lines  is  Monumental  Square, 
which  lies  about  a  mile  from  the  lake  shore.  From  this 
square  radiate  the  streets  in  a  fan  shape,  at  every  angle 
from  northeast  to  west.  Euclid  Avenue  is  Cleveland's  most 
famous  street,  having  for  years  enjoyed  the  reputation  of 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BUSINESS  QUARTER 

being  one  of  the  country's  finest  avenues. «  The  lower  end 
is  taken  up  with  business,  but  farther  out  are  many  splen 
did  residences  surrounded  by  extensive  and  beautifully 
kept  lawns.  Cleveland  is  called  the  Forest  City,  and  it  is 
to  the  old  trees  which  grace  its  parks  and  line  both  sides 
of  Euclid  Avenue  that  it  owes  its  name.  Another  im 
portant  business  street  is  Superior  Avenue,  which  runs 
through  the  main  business  portion  of  the  city. 


117 


118       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Though  Cleveland  is  a  beautiful  city,  its  importance 
really  lies  in  the  fact  of  its  occupying  just  the  position 
that  it  does.  Being  on  Lake  Erie  puts  it  in  touch  with 
the  copper  fields  of  Michigan,  the  iron  mines  of  Minne 
sota  and  Michigan,  and  the  huge  forests  along  the  Great 
Lakes.  ^hrough  railroad  connections  it  is  also  in  touch 

with  the  coal,  oil,  and 
iron  supplies  of  west 
ern  Pennsylvania  and 
Ohio.  Thus,  lying  in 
the  center  of  east 
ern  and  western  com 
merce,  Cleveland  has 
become  a  great  manu 
facturing  center,  and 
the  Cleveland  dis 
trict  is  the  largest 
ore  market  in  the 
world.  Lake  vessels 
bring  the  ore  to 
Cleveland's  enormous 
docks,  where  huge  ma 
chines  quickly  trans 
fer  it  to  cars  Avaiting 
to  carry  it  to  Pittsburgh  and  other  cities. 

Cleveland,  also,  has  several  blast  furnaces  and  immense 
factories  of  iron  and  steel  supplies.  It  holds  first  rank  in 
America  for  the  making  of  wire  and  nails.  More  ships 
are  built  in  the  Cleveland  district  than  anywhere  else 
in  the  world  except  in  the  shipyards  on  the  Clyde  Eiver 
in  Scotland.  Then,  too,  Cleveland  makes  steel  bridges 


LOOKING  UP  EUCLII>  AVENUE 


ORE  DOCKS 


WHEELING  &  LAKE  ERIE  BRIDGE 
119 


120      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

and  buildings,  automobiles,  and  gas  ranges.  Quantities 
of  women's  clothing  are  made  in  Cleveland.  Slaughter 
ing  and  the  wholesale  meat-packing  business  are  other 
important  industries. 

It  is  a  simple  matter  to  ship  Cleveland's  manufactures 
in  every  direction.  The  main  lines  of  the  New  York  Cen 
tral  and  the  Nickel  Plate  pass  through  Cleveland,  and 


THE  UXIVERSITr  CIRCLE 

it  is  a  terminal  city  of  the  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago, 
&  St.  Louis  Railroad, — commonly  known  as  the  Big 
Four,  —  the  Pennsylvania,  the  Erie,  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio, 
and  the  Wheeling  &  Lake  Erie  railroads.  More  than  this, 
Cleveland  is  the  center  of  a  vast  network  of  interurban 
electric  railways  that  carry  both  passengers  and  freight 
and  keep  the  city  in  hourly  communication  with  the  many 
smaller  cities  of  northern  Ohio. 


CLEVELAND 


121 


Cleveland  gets  its  water  supply  from  Lake  Erie 
through  tunnels  built  out  under  the  lake,  which  connect 
with  two  intake  cribs,  one  of  which  is  five  miles  from 
the  shore.  Natural  gas,  pumped  through  large  mains 
from  the  gas  fields  of  West  Virginia,  more  than  200  miles 
away,  is  sold  to  the  people  of  Cleveland  at  a  very  low 


A  DRIVE  IN  GORDEN  PARK 

rate.  The  street  railway  service  is  among  the  best  in  the 
country,  and  the  fare  is  lower  than  in  any  other  large 
American  city. 

Cleveland  has  excellent  educational  advantages.  West 
ern  Reserve  University,  founded  in  1826,  is  especially 
noted  for  its  law  and  medical  schools.  In  Cleveland,  also, 
are  the  Case  School  of  Applied  Science,  the  Cleveland 
School  of  Art,  St.  Ignatius  College,  the  Homeopathic 

9 


122       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


THE  CITY  HALL 


THE  NEW  COURTHOUSE 


Medical  College,  and  the  University  School.    The  public 
schools  of  the  city  are  among  the  best. 

Cleveland  has  a  beautiful  park  system.    The  different 
parks  are  connected  by  boulevards,   which  form  a  great 


CLEVELAND  123 

semicircle  through  the  residence  districts.  There  are  also 
numerous  small  parks  and  playgrounds  in  the  more  con 
gested  districts.  A  plan  for  grouping  the  city's  public 
buildings  about  a  broad  parkway  is  being  carried  out. 
Several  of  the  buildings  are  already  completed.  When 
finished,  this  will  be  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  most 
imposing  spectacles  in  America. 

All  of  these  things,  added  to  the  great  possibilities  for 
occupation  offered  by  the  city's  many  lines  of  work,  hav^ 
given  Cleveland  a  population  of  nearly  800,000.  To-day 
the  little  settlement  of  Cleaveland,  made  in  1796  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga,  has  become  the  second  of  all 
lake  ports  and  the  fifth  city  in  size  in  the  United  States. 


CLEVELAND 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  800,000  (796,841). 

Fifth  city  in  rank  according  to  population. 

Important  manufacturing  center. 

Center  of  the  largest  ore  market  in  the  world. 

Ranks  first  in  America  in  making  wire  and  nails. 

Great  shipbuilding  center. 

A  center  of  trade  in  copper,  iron,  lumber,  coal,  and  oil. 

Important  railroad  center. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Give   the   history   of  the   name   .and    the   settlement  of 
Cleveland. 

2.  Tell   something  of   the   dangers   and   difficulties   of  the 
first  settlers  of  Cleveland. 


124       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

3.  What  was  Cleveland's  first  manufacturing  plant,  and 
what  others  did  it  soon  have  ? 

4.  What  means  of  communication  with  other  cities  did 
Cleveland  have  in  the  early  days  of  its  history? 

5.  To  what   two   events  does  Cleveland   chiefly  owe  its 
rapid  growth  ?    Why  ? 

6.  What  two  products  found  a  meeting  place  at  Cleveland, 
and  with  what  results  ? 

7.  How  did  the  Civil  War  help  the  growth  of  the  city  ? 

8.  WThat  benefits  does  Cleveland  derive  from  its  location 
on  Lake  Erie  ? 

9.  What  are  the  most  important  industries  of  the  Cleve 
land  district  ? 

10.  What  railroad  facilities  has  Cleveland  to-day  ? 

11.  Mention   some    of   the  things  that  make   Cleveland  a 
pleasant  place  in  which  to  live  and  a  good  place  for  business. 


ST.  LOUIS 

Soon  after  Thomas  Jefferson  became  president  of  the 
United  States,  he  bought  from  France  the  land  known 
as  Louisiana  for  $  15,000,000.  This  sum  seemed  a  great 
deal  of  money  for  a  young  nation  to  pay  out,  but  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  covered  nearly  900,000  square  miles 
and  extended  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Canada.  So 
\vhei?  one  stops  to  think  that  the  United  States  secured 
the  absolute  control  of  the  Mississippi  and  more  than 
doubled  its  former  area  at  a  price  less  than  three  cents 
an  acre,  it  is  easier  to  understand  why  Jefferson  bought 
than  why  France  sold. 

When  Louisiana  became  part  of  the  L^nited  States  in 
1803,  St.  Louis  was  a  straggling  frontier  village,  fre 
quented  mostly  by  boatmen  and  trappers.  It  had  been 
established  as  a  trading  post  back  in  1764  by  a  party  of 
French  trappers  from  New  Orleans,  and  had,  from  the 
first,  monopolized  the  fur  trade  of  the  upper  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  River  country.  Here  hunters  and  trappers 
brought  the  spoils  of  distant  forests.  Here  the  surround 
ing  tribes  of  Indians  came  to  trade  with  the  friendly 

125 


126     GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


French.     Here    countless    open    boats   were    loaded    with 
skins  and  furs  and  then  floated  down  the  Mississippi. 

Notwithstanding  this  flourishing  trade,  the  growth  of 
the  settlement  was  slow.  In  1803  the  population  num 
bered  less  than  one  thousand,  made  up  of  French  trap 
pers  and  hunters,  a  few  other  Europeans  and  Americans, 


GO,T 


&'°om^m 

) .    f*\    r,    ^. 


LOUISIANA  PURCHASE 

and   a   considerable   number   of   Indians,  half-breeds,  and 
negro  slaves. 

But  as  soon  as  Louisiana  belonged  to  the  United  States, 
a  new  era  began  in  the  West.  Emigrants  from  the  Eastern 
states  poured  over  the  Appalachian  Mountains.  St.  Louis 
lay  right  in  the  path  of  this  overland  east-to-west  travel. 
From  here  Lewis  and  Clark  started,  in  1804,  on  their 
famous  exploring  trip  of  nearly  two  years  and  a  half,  up 
the  Missouri  River,  to  find  out  for  the  country  what 


ST.  LOUIS  127 

Louisiana  was  like.  It  was  here  that  emigrants  headed 
for  the  Oregon  country  stopped  to  make  final  prepara 
tions  and  lay  in  supplies.  The  remote  trading  post  of 
the  eighteenth  century  was  suddenly  transformed  into  a 
wide-awake  bustling  town. 

Furs   were   now   no   longer  -the    only    article   of   trade. 
The  newly  settled  Mississippi  valley  was  producing  larger 


MISSISSIPPI  RIVER  BOATS 


crops  each  year.  Because  of  the  poor  roads,  overland 
transportation  to  the  markets  on  the  Atlantic  was  out 
of  the  question,  and  trade  was  dependent  on  the  great 
inland  waterways.  Early  in  the  century,  keel  boats  and 
barges  carried  the  products  of  field  and  forest  down  the 
Mississippi.  Then  came  the  arrival  of  the  first  steamboat, 
the  real  beginning  of  St.  Louis'  great  prosperity,  working 


ST.  LOUIS  AND  HER   ILLINOIS  SUBURBS 
128 


ST.  LOUIS 


129 


wonders  for  this  inland  commerce  whose  growth  kept  pace 
with  the  marvelous  development  of  the  rich  Middle  West.- 

St.  Louis,  lying  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
between  the  mouths  of  the  Ohio  and  Missouri  rivers 
and  not  far  from  the  Illinois,  became  the  natural  center 
of  this  north-and-south  river  traffic.  By  1860  it  was  the 
most  important  shipping  point  west  of  the  Alleghenies. 

Meanwhile  railroad  building  had  begun'  in  the  West. 
Ground  was  broken  in  1850  for  St.  Louis'  first  railway, 


THE  MUNICIPAL  COURT  BUILDING 

the  Missouri  Pacific.  Other  roads  were  begun  during 
the  next  two  years.  In  a  short  time  the  whole  country 
was  covered  with  a  network  of  railroads,  and  a  change  in 
the  methods  of  transportation  followed.  The  steamboats 
were  unable  to  compete  with  their  new  rivals  in  speed 
—  a  tremendous  advantage  in  carrying  passengers  and 
perishable  freight  —  and  their  former  importance  quickly 
grew  less. 

St.   Louis   lost   nothing   by   the   change.     Many   of  the 
cross-continent  railroads,  following  the  old  pioneer  trails, 


130       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

met  here.  To-day  more  than  twenty-five  railroads  enter 
the  city,  connecting  it  with  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
United  States  as  wrell  as  with  Canada  and  Mexico. 

St.  Louis  now  has  over  700,500  inhabitants  and 
occupies  nearly  65  square  miles  of  land,  which  slopes 
gradually  from  the  water's  edge  to  the  plateau  that 
stretches  for  miles  beyond  the  western  limits  of  the  city. 


THE  CITY   HALL 


The  -city  is  laid  out  in  broad  straight  streets,  crossing 
each  other  at  right  angles  wherever  possible  and  numbered 
north  and  south  from  Market  Street. 

The  shopping  district  lies  mainly  between  Broadway,  — 
the   fifth   street   from    the   river,  —  Twelfth    Street,   Pine 
Street,  and  Franklin  Avenue.    The  financial  center  is  on 
Fourth  Street  and  Broadway,  while  Washington  Avenue, 


ST.  LOUIS  1.31 

between  Fourth  and  Eighteenth  streets,  is  one  of  the 
greatest  "  wholesale  rows "  in  the  West. 

Besides  its  public  schools  —  which  include  a  teachers' 
college  —  and  private  schools,  St.  Louis  has  two  higher 
institutions  of  learning,  Washington  University  and 
St.  Louis  University. 

Among  the  most  important  public  buildings  in  the 
business  section  are  the  municipal  court  building,  the 
city  hall,  the  courthouse,  and  the  public  library. 


THE  NEW  CENTRAL  LIBRARY 

The  St.  Louis  Union  Station.,  used  by  all  railroads 
entering  the  city,  is  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  stations 
in  the  world.  Pneumatic  tubes  connect  it  with  the  post 
office  and  the  customhouse,  while  underground  driveways 
and  passages  for  handling  bulky  freight,  express,  and 
mail  matter  radiate  from  it  in  all  directions. 

Almost  directly  west  of  the  business  section,  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  city,  lies  Forest  Park,  the  largest  of 
St.  Louisr  many  recreation  grounds.  It  covers  more  than 


132       GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


thirteen  hundred  acres  of  field  and  forest  land,  left  largely 
in  a  natural  state.  Here  is  the  City  Art  Museum,  which 
was  part  of  the  Art  Palace  of  the  world's  fair  held  in 
St.  Louis  in  1904  to  celebrate  the  centennial  of  the- 

Louisiana  Purchase. 
The  beautiful  Mis 
souri  Botanical  Gar 
den,  generally  known 
as  Shaw's  Garden,  is 
open  for  the  use  of 
the  public.  Compton 
Hill  Reservoir  Park, 
on  the  South  Side, 
though  small,  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  the 
city.  Its  water  tower 
and  basins  are  a 
part  of  the  muni 
cipal  water  system, 
costing  more  than 
$30,000,000.  The 
city  water  is  pumped 
from  the  Mississippi 
River  and  purified  as  it  passes  into  great  settling  basins. 
Though  St.  Louis'  attractive  houses  are  found  almost 
everywhere  outside  the  strictly  business  quarters,  the  real 
residence  section  has  gradually  been  growing  toward 
Forest  Park,  and  many  of  the  city's  business  men  have 
built  homes  in  the  suburbs  beyond  the  western  limits  of 
the  city.  One  of  these  suburbs,  University  City,  bids  fair 
to  become  America's  most  beautiful  residence  town. 


THE  UNION  STATION 


ST.   LOUIS 


133 


Unlike  most  of  our  large  cities,  St.  Louis  has  no  sharply 
defined  factory  district.  Its  manufacturing  establishments 
are  distributed  over  nearly  the  whole  city.  An  important 
part  of  its  manufacturing  interests  centers  on  the  eastern 
bank  of  the  Mississippi  in  the  city's  Illinois  suburbs. 

The  industrial  development  of  these  Illinois  suburbs 
was  greatly  increased  by  the  opening  of  the  Eads  Bridge 
in  1874.  Before  this  time  there  had  been  no  bridge  con 
nection  over  the  Mississippi.  Passenger  and  freight  ferries 


THE  ART  MUSEUM 

had  plied  regularly  between  St.  Louis  and  her  suburbs 
across  the  river,  but  there  were  seasons  when  floating 
ice  made  the  river  impassable,  sometimes  cutting  off 
communication  between  the  two  shores  for  days. 

The  Eads  Bridge  is  6220  feet  long  and  is  so  built  that 
the  railroad  tracks  cross  it  on  a  level  lower  than  the  car 
riage  drives  and  foot  paths.  With  its  completion,  communi 
cation  between  opposite  sides  of  the  river  became  as  easy 
as  between  different  parts  of  the  city. 

Other  bridges  have  since  been  built.  In  1890  the 
Merchants  Bridge,  used  solely  by  railroads,  was  built  across 


134       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


the  Mississippi  three  miles 
to  the  north  of  Eads  Bridge, 
and  now  there  is  the  McKin- 
ley  Bridge  between  the  two. 
In  addition  to  these  the  city 
is  building  a  bridge  which, 
when  completed,  will  be 
open  to  traffic  without  toll 
charges. 

Among  the  Illinois  sub 
urbs  thus  brought  into 
closer  touch  with  the  west 
ern  side  of  the  river  are 
East  St.  Louis,  —  a  grow 
ing  city  of  about  75,000,  — 
Venice,  Madison,  Granite 
City,  and  Belleville.  Being 
principally  manufacturing 
communities,  these  cities 
contribute  in  no  small  de 
gree  to  St.  Louis'  impor 
tance  as  an  industrial  center. 

St.  Louis'  importance, 
however,  is  mainly  due  to 
the  city's  favorable  location 
at  the  heart  of  one  of  the 
world's  richest  river  valleys. 
The  vast  natural  resources 
of  the  Middle  West  are  at 
her  command.  Raw  mate 
rials  of  every  kind  abound 


SHAW'S  GARDEN 


A  PUBLIC  HATH 
135 


136      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

almost  at  her  door.  Missouri  ranks  high  as  an  agricul 
tural  and  mining  state.  Its  position  in  the  great  corn 
belt  makes  hog  raising  a  highly  profitable  industry.  The 
prairies  to  the  north  furnish  extensive  grazing  areas  for 
cattle.  The  Ozark  Mountains  to  the  southwest  afford 
excellent  pasturage  for  sheep  and  yield  lumber  as  well 
as  great  quantities  of  lead,  zinc,  and  other  minerals.  In 


A  MISSOURI  COAL  MINE 


addition,  the  state  has  large  deposits  of  soft  coal,  while 
only  the  Mississippi  separates  St.  Louis  from  the  un 
limited  supply  of  the  Illinois  coal  fields.  As  a  result, 
the  cost  of  manufacturing  is  low  and  the  city's  many 
and  varied  industries  thrive.  Chief  among  these  is  the 
manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes.  Though  this  business 
is  comparatively  young  in  the  West,  St.  Louis  already 
ranks  among  the  three  leading  footwear-producing  cities 


ST.   LOUIS 


137 


of  the  country,  turning  out  over  $50,000,000  worth  of 
boots  and  shoes  yearly.  Most  of  these  are  of  the  heavier 
type  made  for  country  trade,  but  the  output  of  finer  foot 
wear  is  steadily  increasing. 

Next  in  importance  are  the  tobacco,  meat-packing, 
and  cotton  industries.  St.  Louis  is  one  of  the  leading 
cities  in  the  country  in  the  manufacture  of  tobacco.  The 


MAKING  SHOES 

meat-packing  establishments,  including  those  in  East  St. 
Louis,  hold  fourth  place  among  America's  great  packing 
centers.  Great  quantities  of  clothing  are  turned  out  in 
its  factories.  Flour  mills,  foundries,  and  sugar  refineries 
also  do  an  immense  business.  Street  and  railroad  cars, 
stoves  of  all  kinds,  paints,  oils,  and  white  lead  are  made 
in  scores  of  factories,  while  hundreds  of  other  industries 
flourish  in  the  city,  making  it  one  of  the  greatest  work 
shops  in  the  United  States. 
10 


138      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Important  as  St.  Louis  is  as  a  manufacturing  city,  it  is 
even  more  noted  as  a  distributing  center,  its  location  mak 
ing  it  the  natural  commercial  metropolis  of  the  Mississippi 
valley.  It  markets  not  only  its  own  manufactures  but 
products  which  represent  every  section  of  the  country. 
The  vast  territory  to  the  west  and  southwest  depends 
almost  entirely  on  St.  Louis  for  its  supply  of  dry  goods 


.MULES  IN  A  STOCKYARD 

and  groceries.    Other  staples  are  boots  and  shoes,  tobacco, 
hardware,  timber,  cotton,  breadstuffs,  cattle,  and  hogs. 

In  the  handling  of  furs  St.  Louis  leads  the  cities  of 
the  world.  She  also  holds  a  high  place  among  the  great- 
grain  markets.  In  this  country  her  annual  receipts  of 
corn,  wheat,  and  oats  are  exceeded  only  by  those  of 
Chicago  and  Minneapolis.  Shipments  of  grain  and  bread- 
stuffs  to  Central  and  South  America,  Cuba,  Great  Britain, 
and  Germany  constitute  the  city's  leading  exports. 


ST.  LOUIS  139 

As  a  live-stock  market  it  is  no  less  important.  The 
National  Stockyards,  located  on  the  Illinois  side  of  the 
river,  contain  several  hundred  acres.  Though  packing 
houses  and  slaughtering  houses  occupy  some  of  this  land, 
the  main  part  is  covered  with  sheds,  pens,  and  enclosures 
for  the  reception  and  sale  of  live  animals.  Millions  of 
cattle,  hogs,  and  sheep  are  handled  here  every  year. 
St.  Louis  also  buys  and  sells  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
horses  and  mules,  being  the  largest  market  for  draft 
animals  in  the  world. 

Just  as  the  frontier  trading  post  of  the  eighteenth 
century  grew  into  the  thriving  river  port  of  the  nine 
teenth,  so  the  river  port  of  the  nineteenth  century  has 
developed  into  one  of  the  leading  railroad  and  commercial 
centers  of  the  twentieth.  And  the  sixth  city  of  America 
in  size  is  now  St.  Louis. 


ST.  LOUIS 

FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 
Population  (1920),  nearly  800,000  (772,897). 
Sixth  city  according  to  population. 
Well  located  5  center  of  the  Mississippi  valley,  between 

the  mouths  of  the  Missouri  and  Ohio  rivers. 
Important  shipping  point  by  rail  and  water. 
A  great  railroad  center. 
The   leading   market   in   the   world   for   furs   and    draft 

animals. 

One  oi  the  greatest  boot-and-shoe-manufacturing  centers. 
One  "of  the  chief  markets  in  the  United  States  for  grain, 

flour,  and  live  stock. 


140       GEEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Why  did   Jefferson   buy  the  country  included   in  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  ? 

2.  Give  a  brief  account  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase;  from 
whom  purchased,  the  cost,  the  territory  included. 

3.  Tell  what  you  know  of  St.  Louis  before  the  Louisiana 
Purchase. 

4.  What  brought  about  the  sudden  and  rapid  growth  of 
St.  Louis  after  the  purchase  ? 

5.  What   effect  did   the  railroads  have   upon  St.   Louis' 
water  transportation  ?    Why  ? 

6.  Describe  the  St.  Louis  Union  Station. 

7.  What  three  bridges  were  built  across  the  Mississippi 
at  St.  Louis,  and  why  ? 

8.  To  what  does    St.   Louis   owe   her   importance   as   an 
industrial  center  ? 

9.  In  what  lines  does  St.  Louis  lead  the  world  ? 

10.  Name   some   of   the   products   sent  to   St.   Louis   from 
the  neighboring  country. 

11.  What  are  some  of  her  most  important  industries  ? 

12.  Name  some  of  the  things  which  St.  Louis  supplies  to 
other  sections  of  the  country. 

13.  In  what  business  has  St.  Louis  held  an  important  place 
from  its  beginning  ? 

14.  By  consulting  a  map,  find  what  great  railroad  systems 
run  to  St.  Louis. 


BOSTON 

Let  us  take  a  trip  to  New  England  and  visit  Boston. 
Boston  is  New  England's  chief  city  in  size,  in  population, 
in  historic  interest,  and  in  importance.  It  is  the  capital  of 
Massachusetts  and  the  seventh  city  in  size  in  the  United 
States. 

If  we  were  going  to  visit  some  far-away  cousins  whom 
we  had  never  seen,  we  should  surely  want  to  know  some 
thing  about  their  age,  their  appearance,  and  their  habits. 
Would  it  not  be  just  as  interesting  to  find  out  these 
things  about  the  city  we  are  to  see  on  our  journey  ? 

In  the  early  days  the  Indians  called  the  district  where 
Boston  now  stands  Shawmut,  or  "  living  waters."  The 
first  white  man  to  come  to  Shawmut  was  William  Black- 
stone,  a  hermit  who  made  his  home  on  the  slope  of  what 
is  now  Beacon  Hill.  Though  Blackstone  liked  to  be 
alone,  he  was  unselfish.  So  when  he  heard  that  the  set 
tlers  of  a  Puritan  colony  not  far  away  were  suffering  for 
want  of  pure  water,  he  went  to  their  governor,  John  Win- 
throp,  "  acquainted  him  with  the  excellent  spring  of  water 
that  was  on  his  land  and  invited  him  and  his  followers 
thither."  Blackstone's  offer  was  gladly  accepted.  The 

141 


i\ 


142 


BOSTON  143 

Puritans  purchased  Sbawmut  from  the  Indians  and  in 
1630  began  their  new  settlement,  which  they  named 
Boston  in  honor  of  the  English  town  which  had  been  the 
home  of  some  of  their  leading  men. 

Originally  Boston  was  a  little  irregular  peninsula  of 
scarcely  700  acres,  entirely  cut  off  from  the  mainland  at 
high  tide.  It  did  not  take  the  colonists  long,  however,  to 
outgrow  these  narrow  quarters.  They  soon  filled  in  the 
marshes  and  coves  with  land  from  the  hills.  They  spread 
out  over  two  small  islands  and  made  them  part  of  Boston. 
Then,  one  by  one,  they  took  in  neighboring  settlements. 
And  from  this  start  Boston  has  grown,  until  to-day  it  has 
an  area  of  about  43  square  miles  and  a  population  of 
over  700,000. 

We  must  get  a  clear  idea  of  these  various  districts  of 
Boston.  If  not,  we  shall  be  puzzled  to  meet  friends  from 
Roxbury  or  Dorchester  and  hear  them  say  that  they  live 
in  Boston.  There  is  Boston  proper,  the  old  Boston  before 
it  annexed  its  neighbors ;  East  Boston,  comprising  two 
islands  in  the  harbor  which  joined  Boston  in  1635  and 
1637;  then,  annexed  from  time  to  time,  come  Roxbury, 
Dorchester,  Charlestown,  —  the  scene  of  the  Battle  of 
Bunker  Hill, — West  Roxbury,  and  Brighton;  and  last, 
Hyde  Park,  which,  ( by  the  vote  of  its  people  and  the  citi 
zens  of  Boston,  joined  the  city  in  November,  1911!  These 
have  all  kept  their  original  names,  but  have  given  up  their 
local  governments  to  share  Boston's  larger  privileges  and 
advantages.  So  remember  that  when  we  meet  friends 
from  Roxbury,  West  Roxbury,  Dorchester,  Brighton,  East 
Boston,  South  Boston,  or  Hyde  Park,  they  are  all  Boston 
people.  The  children  from  these  districts  would  resent  it 


144       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


if  they  were  not  known  as  Boston  boys  and  girls  just  as 
much  as  those  who  live  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city. 

While  we  have  been  reading  all  this,  our  boat  has  been 
drawing  closer  to  the  city,  £iicl  now  we  must  gather  up  our 
wraps  and  bags  and  be  ready  to  start  out.  We  see  a  very 
busy  harbor,  its  noisy  tugs  drawing  the  sullen-looking  coal 

barges ;  its  graceful 
schooners  loaded  to 
the  water's  edge 
with  lumber;  and 
its  fishing  boats  with 
their  dirty  sails,  not 
attractive  but  doing 
the  work  that  has 
placed  Boston  first  in 
importance  as  a  fish 
ing  port.  Crowded 
steamers  and  ferry 
boats  pass  swiftly 
by,  while  huge  ocean 

steamships  may  be  seen  poking  their  noses  out  from  then- 
docks  at  East  Boston  and  South  Boston  or  heading  toward 
the  city  with  their  thousands  of  eager  passengers. 

As  we  hurry  along  with  our  fellow  travelers  we  must 
decide  how  best  to  reach  our  hotel.  There  are  taxicabs 
for  some;  electric  cars,  both  surface  and  elevated,  for  the 
many.  Boston  has  excellent  car  and  train  service.  The 
Boston  Elevated  Railway  Company  controls  most  of  the 
car  lines  in  the  city  as  well  as  in  the  outlying  towns.  This 
makes  it  possible  for  us  to  ride  for  one  fare  an  average 
distance  of  at  least  five  miies. 


THE  WASHINGTON   STREET  TUNNEL 


145 


146      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

A  line  of  elevated  trains  running  across  the  city  con 
nects  West  Roxbury  on  the  south  with  Chariest/own  on 
the  north.  Some  of  these  trains  pass  through  the  Wash 
ington  Street  tunnel,  from  which  numerous  well-lighted, 
well-ventilated  stations  lead  directly  to  the  shopping  and 
business  section  of  the  city.  On  this  elevated  road  are  two 
huge  terminal  stations,  into  which  rush  countless  surface 
cars,  bringing  from  all 'points  north  and  south  the  immense 
crowds  of  suburbanites  who  come  to  Boston  proper  each 
day,  to  work  or  on  pleasure  bent. 

Chelsea  folks  come  to  the  city  by  ferry  or  by  electric 
car,  while  those  from  East  Boston  have  two  ferry  lines  as 
well  as  a  tunnel  for  cars  under  the  harbor. 

The  city  proper  has  two  immense  union  railroad  depots, 
the  North  and  the  South  station,  Avhere  hundreds  of  local, 
as  well  as  long-distance,  trains  leave  and  arrive  each  day. 
The  railroads  entering  Boston  are  the  Boston  &  Albany, 
which,  by  means  of  the  New  York  Central  lines,  connects 
with  the  West ;  the  Boston  &  Maine,  leading  northward 
to  Maine  and  Canada ;  and  the  New  York,  New  Haven  & 
Hartford,  which  connects  by  way  of  New  York  with  various 
points  in  the  South. 

All  these  transportation  advantages  have  made  Boston 
an  excellent  place  in  which  to  live,  as  its  suburbs  afford 
the  benefits  of  country  life  while  yet  they  are  within  a 
few  minutes'  ride  of  a  big  city. 

There  are  several  ways  in  which  we  can  see  Boston. 
We  may  climb  into  one  of  the  great  sight-seeing  autos 
and  ride  from  point  to  point  while  the  man  with  the  mega 
phone  calls  our  attention  to  the  interesting  landmarks 
and  gives  their  history ;  we  can  engage  a  guide  who  will 


BOSTON 


147 


take  us  from  place  to  place ;  or  we  can  simply  follow  the 
directions  of  our  guide  book. 

No  trip  to  Boston  is  complete  without  a  visit  to  the 
State  House,  or  capitol,  whose  gilded  dome  is  seen  glitter 
ing   in   the   sunlight  by  day  and   sparkling  with   electric 
lights  by  night.    It  is  situated  on  Beacon  Hill,  the  highest 
point  of  land  in  the  city  proper.    Up  to  1811  one  peak  of 


THE  SOUTH  STATION 

the  hill  was  as  high  as  the  gilded  dome  is  now,  and  on  its 
summit  a  beacon  was  set  up  as  early  as  1634,  to  warn 
the  people  in  the  surrounding  country  of  approaching  dis 
aster.  It  seems,  however,  that  the  beacon  was  never  used, 
and  during  the  Revolution  the  British  pulled  it  down  and 
built  a  fort  in  its  place. 

Even  if  there  were  no  gilded  dome  on  the  State  House, 
the  building  itself  is  handsome  enough  to  attract  atten 
tion.  It  was  designed  in  1795  by  Charles  Bulfinch,  a 
famous  architect.  The  front  of  the  building  to-day  is  the 


148       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

historic  Bulfinch  front.  But  as  Boston  grew,  so  also  did 
the  State  House,  and  additions  were  made  in  1853,  in 
1889,  and  in  1915,  until  now  we  have  the  impressive 
building  we  are  about  to  enter. 

But  stop  after  climbing  the  main  steps,  turn  around, 
and  look  at  the  green  field  before  you.    This  is  Boston 


DRILLING  ON  THE  COMMON 

Common,  the  famous  Boston  Common  where  the  people 
of  long  ago  used  to  pasture  their  cows ;  where  the  British 
in  the  early  days  of  the  Revolution  set  up  their  fortified 
camps  during  the  siege  of  Boston  ;  and  where,  at  the  pres 
ent  time,  the  admiring  relatives  of  the  high-school  boys 
assemble  yearly  to  see  them  go  through  their  military 
drill.  Situated  as  it  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city, 


BOSTON 


149 


Boston  Common  is  the  resting  place,  the  breathing  place, 
for  thousands.  It  is  the  people's  playground.  Fireworks, 
band  concerts,  public  speaking,  all  prove  that  its  public 
character  has  never  been  lost,  and  that  it  is  now  as  much 
of  a  Common  as  it  was  in  1649,  when  it  was  first  laid  out. 
By  a  wise  clause  in  the  city  charter,  this  Common  cannot 
be  sold  or  leased  without  the  consent  of  the  citizens. 


A  CORNER  OF  THE  COMMON,  SHOWING  THE  SHAW  MEMORIAL 

The  Common  contains  many  memorials  erected  by  a 
grateful  people.  The  most  conspicuous  is  the  Army  and 
Navy  Monument,  which  reaches  far  above  the  trees. 
Directly  opposite  the  State  House  is  the  Shaw  Memorial, 
a  wonderful  bronze  bas-relief  by  Saint  Gaudens,  showing 
the  gallant  Colonel  Shaw  and  his  colored  regiment. 

The  sight  of  Shaw's  earnest  young  face  amid  his  dusky 
followers  prepares  us  for  entering  Doric  Hall  in  the  State 
House,  set  apart  as  a  memorial  for  those  who  died  in  theii 
country's  cause.  We  look  with  awe  and.  reverence  on  the 


150       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

flags  whose  worn  and  tattered   edges  tell  plainly  of  the 
struggles  of  their  bearers  and  defenders. 

Let  us  peep  into  the  Senate  chamber  and  into  the  hall 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  with  its  historic  codfish 
suspended  from  the  ceiling,  a  reminder  of  a  most  humble 
source  of  Massachusetts'  wealth.  We  will  then  climb  to 
the  dome  and  see  Boston  before  a  cold  east  wind  sweeps 


MOT  LEY®  PARK' 


:, 


THE  STATE-HOUSE  CODFISH 

suddenly  in,  covering  the  city  with  fog  and  making  all 
misty  and  uncertain.  As  we  reach  the  highest  point,  it 
really  seems  as  if  the  fog  had  rolled  in,  but  it  is  only 
a  fog  of  smoke  from  the  many  chimneys  of  the  city's 
countless  factories. 

As  our  eyes  get  accustomed  to  the  view,  the  mist  seems 
to  roll  away,  and  the  city  lies  before  us.  That  blue  line 
to  the  east  is  the  harbor,  and  between  us  and  the  harbor 


THE  STATE  HOUSE 
151 


152       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


is  the  business  section  of  Boston,  the  noisy,  throbbing 
heart  of  a  big  city.  Directly  back  of  us  as  we  stand 
facing  the  water  is  the  West  End,  once  a  fashionable 
, : — ,  section  where  Bos 
ton's  literary  men 
held  court,  now  a 
district  largely  given 
over  to  tenements 
and  lodging-houses. 
To  the  north  and 
south  lie  the  North 
and  South  ends ;  the 
former,  the  oldest 
of  the  city  and  the 
great  foreign  dis 
trict  of  the  present 
time,  where  children 
from  many  lands 
have  their  homes. 
That  broad  wind- 


BUNKER  HILL  MONUMENT 


ing  stream  of  water 
that  we  see  is  the 
Charles  River.  Just 
beyond  it  to  the 
north  is  Charles- 
town,  its  Bunker 

Hill  Monument  towering  up  for  all  to  see.    The  city  of 
Cambridge  is  just  across  the  Charles  River  to  the  west, 
and  next  to  it,  skirting  the  southern  bank  of  the  river, ^ 
is  the  district  of  Brighton.    South  Boston,  Roxbury,  West 
Roxbury,  Hyde  Park,  and  Dorchester  lie  toward  the  south. 


BOSTON 


153 


Among  the  many  islands  in  the  harbor,  East  Boston  is  the 
most  crowded  and  the  closest  to  the  city  proper.  Towards 
the  southwest,  be 
tween  us  and  the 
Charles,  lies  Back 
Bay,  once  tidewater 
but  now  filled  in 
and  made  into  land. 
Look  around  you 
and  notice  how  the 
surrounding  parts  of 
Boston  form  a  chain 
about  their  parent, 
a  chain  broken  only 
by  Cambridge — the 
seat  of  Harvard 
University  -  -  and 
Brook  line, —  Massa 
chusetts'  wealthiest 
town,  —  which  re 
fuses  to  become  a 
city  or  to  join  its 
larger  neighbor. 

As  we  leave  the 
State  House,  a  few 
minutes' walk  brings 
us  to  the  heart  of 
Boston's  great  shop 
ping  district  and  to 

Boston's    leading  business   street.     You   will   be   glad   to 
know  that  this  street  is  called  neither  Main  Street  nor 

11 


WASHINGTON  STKEET 


154 


BOSTON  155 

Broadway,  but  Washington  Street.  Originally,  part  was 
known  as  Orange,  part  as  Marlborough,  and  part  as  New- 
bury.  But  when,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Wash 
ington  rode  through  the  city  at  the  head  of  a  triumphal 
procession,  the  people  renamed  the  street  along  which  he 
passed,  Washington,  and  so  it  is  called  to-day  in  all  its 
ten  miles  of  length.  Washington  Street  is  very  narrow 
in  parts,  and  as  it  is  lined  on  both  sides  with  some  of 
Boston's  largest  and  finest  department  stores,  it  presents 
a,  very  animated  appearance  on  a  week-day  afternoon. 

Stop  for  a  moment  on  busy  Newspaper  Row.  Here  a 
bystander  may  read  the  newrs  of  the  world  as  it  is  posted 
hourly  upon  the  great  bulletin  boards  of  the  various 
newspaper  offices. 

Parallel  to  Washington  Street,  and  connected  with  it 
by  many  short  streets,  is  Tremont  Street,  another  old  his 
toric  road.  Originally  Tremont  Street  was  a  path  outlined 
by  William  Blackstone's  cows  on  their  way  to  pasture ; 
now  it  is  second  only  to  Washington  Street  in  importance. 

Washington  Street  is  really  the  main  dividing  line  be 
tween  the  retail  and  wholesale  parts  of  the  city.  The 
water  front  is  the  great  wholesale  section.  Here  there  is 
a  constant  odor  of  leather  in  the  air,  and  great  heavy 
wagons  laden  with  hides  are  continually  passing  to  and 
from  the  wharves  and  stations.  When  we  stop  and  con 
sider  that  Boston  and  the  neighboring  cities  of  Brockton 
and  Lynn  are  among  the  largest  shoe-manufacturing  cities 
in  the  world,  then  we  do  not  wonder  at  the  leather  we 
see.  It  is  no  vain  boast  to  say  that  in  every  quarter  of 
the  world  may  be  seen  shoes  that  once,  in  the  form  of 
leather,  were  carted  through  the  streets  of  Boston. 


BOSTON'S  LAND  AND  WATER  CONNECTIONS 
156 


BOSTON  157 

What  is  true  of  leather  is  also  true  of  cotton  and  wool. 
Lowell,  Eall  River,  and  New  Bedford  are  calling  for 
cotton  to  be  made  into  cloth  in  their  busy  mills,  while 
Lawrence  is  the  greatest  wool-manufacturing  city  in  the 
country.  Boston,  with  its  harbor  and  great  railroad 
terminals,  is  constantly  receiving  these  materials  and 
distributing  them  to  these  cities. 

The  finished  cloths  often  return  to  Boston  to  be  cut 
and  made  into  clothes,  and  an  army  of  men  and  women 
cut  and  sew  from  day  to  day  011  garments  for  people  far 
distant  from  Boston  as  w^ell  as  for  those  near  home. 

One  glance  at  the  wharves  along  Atlantic  Avenue  and 
Commercial  Street  and  our  glimpse  of  busy  Boston  will 
be  ended.  Here  are  wharves  and  piers  jutting  out  into 
the  harbor,  where  are  boats  of  every  kind  from  every 
land.  New  York  alone  among  American  cities  outranks 
Boston  in  the  value  of  her  foreign  commerce.  From  one 
large  steamer  thousands  of  green  bananas  are  being  carried. 
They  will  be  sold  to  the  many  fruit  dealers,  from  those 
whose  show  windows  are  visions  of  beauty,  to  the  Greek 
or  Italian  peddler  who  pushes  his  hand  cart  out  into  the 
suburbs. 

Some  of  the  steamers  are  already  puffing  with  impor 
tance  as  if  to  hasten  the  steps  of  travelers  who  are  on 
their  way  to  board  ship  for  different  ports  in  the  South, 
for  Nova  Scotia  and  other  points  north,  or  perhaps  to 
cross  the  Atlantic. 

Two  of  the  wharves — T  Wharf  and  the  new  fishing  pier 

—  are  devoted  to  the  fishing  industry.     From  the  banks 

of  Newfoundland  and  the  other  splendid  fishing  grounds 

along  the   coast  from  Cape  Cod  to   Labrador,   fishermen 


158       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

are  constantly  bringing  their  catches  to  Boston,  their  chief 
market.  In  addition,  Gloucester  and  other  fishing  ports 
re-ship  to  the  Boston  market,  most  of  the  fish  brought  to 
them.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  Boston  ranks  first  of  all 
the  cities  of  the  United  States  in  the  fish  trade? 


A  FISHING  FLEET 

In  this  neighborhood  too  is  a  tablet  marking  the  site 
of  Griffin's  Wharf,  where  the  Boston  Tea  Party  of  the 
Revolution  took  place.  To  enforce  her  right  to  tax  her 
American  colonies,  England  placed  a  tax  on  tea.  She  could 
not  believe  that  the  colonists  would  give  up  their  tea  merely 
to  uphold  a  principle.  We  remember  how  the  people  of 
Boston  refused  to  pay  the  tax  on  tea;  how  the  shiploads 


Una 

p  n  HU  .  n  n  \\ , 
n  n  n  \    »i  ;;  ;; 


©  I  lad  in  mi  Co.  Hoston 
BOSTON'S  NEW   CUSTOMHOUSE 


159 


160       GEEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


of  tea  sent  from  England  remained  unloaded  at  the  wharf; 
and  how,  finally,  after  an  indignation  meeting  had  been  held 

at  the  Old  South  Meet 
ing  House,  a  band  of 
men  and  boys,  disguised 
as  Indians,  boarded  the 
vessels,  ripped  open  the 
chests,  and  emptied  all 
the  cargo  into  the  har 
bor.  It  was  rightly  called 
the  Boston  Tea  Party. 

As  we  are  so  close  to 
the  North  End,  we  may 
as  well  go  there  at  once. 
The  North  End  is  the 
oldest  section  of  Boston. 
It  was  here  that  Samuel 
Adams,  John  Hancock, 
Paul  Revere,  and  other 
patriots  had  their  head 
quarters  during  the  trou 
blous  times  before  the 
Revolution.  Paul  Re 
vere,  of  whose  famous 
ride  we  have  all  read 
in  Longfellow's  poem, 
lived  and  carried  on  his 
business  in  this  very  dis 
trict.  If  we  wish,  we  can  see  his  home  as  well  as  the 
famous  Old  North  Church,  where  his  friend  hung  the 
lanterns  Avarning  him  of  the  movements  of  the  British. 


OLD  NORTH  CHURCH 


BOSTON 


161 


But  to-day  there  is  little  else  to  remind  us  of  the  past. 
As  we  cross  North  Square  and  see  the  gesticulating, 
dark-skinned  men,  the  stout,  gayly  kerchiefed  women  in 
the  doorways,  and  the  hordes  of  dark-eyed  children  on 
street  and  sidewalk,  we  wonder  if  by  mistake  we  have 
not  entered  some  city  in  southern  Europe.  To-day  the 


TIIE  NORTH  END 


North  End  of  Boston  is  the  great  foreign  section  of  the' 
city.     Here  live  the  Jews,  Italians,  and  Russians.     They 
tell  us  that  more  than  one  third  of  the  entire  population 
of  the  city  are  foreigners. 

But  when  a  group  of  boys  rushes  toward  us,  each  beg 
ging  to  be  our  guide  to  the  Old  North  Church,  to  Paul 
Revere's  house,  or  to  the  famous  Copp's  Hill  Burying 


102       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Ground,  —  all  for  a  nickel, — we  are  sure  we  are  in  America 
and  gladly  follow  our  leader  through  the  narrow,  crooked 
streets. 

From   among   the   parents   of   these   children   come  the 
fruit  peddlers,  the  clothing  makers,  the  street  musicians, 

and  the  great  army 
of  laborers  which 
helps  to  keep  the 
city  in  repair. 

Are  we  tired  of 
the  noise  and  confu 
sion  of  the  crowded 
tenement  district  ? 
If  so,  let  us  go  to 
the  broad  streets 
and  beautiful  parks 
of  the  Back  Bay, 
the  abode  of  the 
wealthy.  The  Back 
Bay,  as  its  name  sug 
gests,  was  originally 
the  Back  Coye,  and 
where  these  houses 
now  stand,  the 

waves  once  danced  in  glee.  But  Boston  rilled  in  the 
marshes  and  coves  and  laid  out  fine  streets  on  the  newly 
made  land.  Here  is  the  famous  Beacon  Street,  and  par 
allel  to  it  is  Boston's  most  beautiful  thoroughfare,  — 
Commonwealth  Avenue, — two  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
wide,  with  a  parkway  running  through  the  center.  See 
the  children  with  their  nurses,  playing  on  the  grass  or 


PAUL  REVERE'S  HOUSE 


BOSTON 


163 


roller    skating    on    the    broad    sidewalks,    apparently   no 
happier  than  the  little  ones  of  the  North  End. 

But  it  is  not  merely  its  fine  streets  and  homes  that 
make  the  Back  Bay  the  handsomest  part  of  the  city.  In 
this  section  are  many  of  Boston's  finest  public  buildings. 
Come  to  Copley  Square,  the  most  beautiful  in  the  city. 


COMMONWEALTH  AVENUE 

Here  stands  Trinity  Church,  —  Phillips  Brooks'  church,  — 
a  magnificent  structure  of  granite  with  sandstone  trim 
mings.  Phillips  Brooks  was  for  a  brief  year  the  Protes 
tant  Episcopal  bishop  of  Massachusetts.  He  was  loved  by 
those  of  all  denominations.  After  his  death  the  citizens  of 
Boston  united  in  erecting  a  splendid  memorial,  in  token 
of  their  love  for  him  and  their  gratitude  for  his  services. 
The  statue  is  by  Augustus  Saint  Gaudens  and  is  .con 
sidered  one  of  the  greatest  works  of  that  great  sculptor. 
On  Copley  Square  we  see  also  the  New  Old  South 
Church  and  the  Boston  Public  Library. 


164       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Boston  is  very  proud  of  her  public  library,  and  rightly 
so,  for  it  is  not  only  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  Boston 
but  also  one  of  the  tinest  libraries  in  the  country.  Look  at 
the  magnificent  marble  staircase,  the  curiously  inlaid  floor 

and  ceiling  of  the 
entrance  hall,  the 
graceful  statues, 
the  wonderful  paint 
ings,  and  the  line 
courtyard  with  its 
sparkling  fountain. 
On  the  floors  above 
are  the  children's 
room  with  its  low 
tables  and  chairs 
and  rows  upon  rows 
of  interesting  books: 
Bates  Hall,  a  most 
attractive  reading 
room :  Sargent's  mys 
tical  paintings :  and 
Edwin  A.  Abbey's 
series  of  paintings, 
which  are  called 
"  The  Quest  of  the 
.  Holy  Grail." 

Besides  the  main  library  there  are  branch  libraries  or 
reading  rooms  in  every  section  of  the  city.  Altogether 
the  Boston  Public  Library  contains  over  one  million 
volumes,  making  it  one  of  the  largest  circulating  libraries 
in  the  United  States. 


PHILLIPS  BROOKS'  MEMORIAL 


BOSTON 


165 


But  there  are  other  buildings  in  the  Back  Bay  which 
rival  those  on  Copley  Square.  \Ve  should  see  the  Christian 
Science  church  with  its  massive  dome  ;  the  Boston  Opera 
House;  and  Symphony  Hall,  the  home  of  the  famous 
Boston  Symphony  Orchestra,  known  the  country  over. 


BOSTON  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

The  Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  stood  originally  on 
Copley  Square,  but  in  1909  a  new  and  magnificent  build 
ing  was  opened,  farther  out  in  the  Back  Bay.  Not  far 
from  the  new  museum  stands  the  Harvard  Medical  School, 
an  imposing  group  of  five  white-marble  buildings. 

But  now  we  are  tired  of  buildings,  so  come  into  the 
Public  Garden  —  the  gateway  to  the  Back  Bay  —  and 


166       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

while  you  rest  I  will  tell  you  about  Boston's  parks. 
Sitting  in  the  beautiful  Public  Garden,  it  will  not  be 
hard  for  you  to  believe  that  the  park  system  of  Boston 
is  the  finest  in  the  country.  The  first  park  was,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  Common.  For  many  years  the  Common 
was  not  a  place  of  beauty.  Edward  Everett  Hale  spoke 
of  it  as  a  "  pasture  for  cows,  a  playground  for  children, 
a  training  ground  for  the  militia,  a  place  for  beating 
carpets."  Many  changes  have  taken  place  on  the  Common 
since  the  old  days,  but  two  of  the  characteristics  still  re 
main.  Boston  Common  is  still  a  playground  for  children, 
and  military  drills  are  still  to  be  seen  there  from  time 
to  time. 

The  Common  is  just  across  Charles  Street  from  the 
Public  Garden  —  the  second  great  park  to  be  laid  out  in 
Boston.  This  Public  Garden  was  reclaimed  from  the 
marshes,  and  at  present  covers  about  twenty-four  and  a 
half  acres.  It  is  truly  a  garden,  and  during  the  spring, 
summer,  and  fall  nearly  every  species  of  beautiful  flower, 
plant,  and  shrub  may  here  be  seen  —  a  riot  of  color  and 
beauty. 

But  the  people  of  Boston  did  not  stop  even  with  the 
Public  Garden.  The  city  of  Boston  has,  besides,  numerous 
small  squares  at  intervals  through  the  city.  She  also  has 
vast  tracts  of  rural  land,  which,  unlike  the  Public  Garden, 
are  left  to  their  own  wild  beauty.  Owing  to  Boston's 
expanse  of  water  front,  it  is  possible  for  her  to  have  both 
inland  and  ocean  parks,  where  may  be  found  all  kinds 
of  open-air  sports  and  recreations. 

Some  of  the  most  important  of  these  parks  are  Franklin 
Park,  the  Fens,  the  Arnold  Arboretum,  Marine  Park,  and 


BOSTON  167 

the  Charles  River  Basin.  In  the  Arnold  Arboretum,  the 
property  of  Harvard  College,  are  rare  shrubs  and  trees. 
Fortunate  is  the  one  who  can  visit  it  in  lilac  time,  when 
scores  of  varieties  of  lilacs,  both  white  and  many  shades 
of  violet,  scent  the  air  with  their  delicate  perfumes. 

The  best  example  of  the  ocean  parkways  is  Marine  Park. 
There  one  finds  extensive  bathhouses,  a  good  beach,  lawns, 
and  a  long  pier  extending  several  hundred  feet  out  into 
the  water.  Connected  with  Marine  Park  by  a  long  bridge 
is  Castle  Island,  the  site  of  Fort  Independence. 

The  Charles  River  Basin  is  a  popular  promenade.  This 
river,  in  years  past,  showed  for  many  hours  of  the  day 
the  uncovered  mud  flats  of  low  tide.  Now  by  means  of 
a  dam  it  has  been  turned  into  a  great  fresh-water  lake. 
Cambridge  and  Boston  have  laid  out  parkways  on  either 
side  of  the  river,  and  before  long  further  improvements 
will  make  this  basin  even  more  attractive. 

Through  the  influence  of  Boston  the  surrounding  cities 
and  towns  have  given  certain  large  areas  of  great  natural 
beauty  to  form  the  Metropolitan  Park  System.  This  Met 
ropolitan  Park  System  consists  of  3  forest  reserves  of 
7000  acres  of  woodland,  30  miles  of  river  park,  10  miles 
of  seacoast,  and  40  miles  of  connecting  parkways. 

Two  great  ocean  parks  in  the  system  are  Revere  Beach 
and  Nantasket,  both  favorite  summer  resorts,  while  the 
most  noted  inland  reservations  are  the  Blue  Hills  and 
the  Middlesex  Fells. 

A  Roman  matron  of  long  ago,  when  asked  to  show  her 
jewels,  pointed  to  her  sons  with  pride,  saying,  "  These  are 
my  jewels."  And  so  it  is  with  Boston.  She  is  proud  of  her 
history,  her  fine  public  buildings,  her  busy  thoroughfares, 


168       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

her  parks,  her  great  centers  of  industry,  and  her  com 
merce  ,  but  most  of  all,  she  is  proud  of  her  more  than 
ninety  thousand  school  children. 

From  the  earliest  times  Boston's  schools  have  ranked 
among  the  best  in  the  country.  The  first  public  school 
in  America  was  established  in  Dorchester,  and  some  of 


THE  HARVARD  YARD 

the  greatest  educators,  such  as  Horace  Mann  and  Charles 
W.  Eliot,  have  been  associated  with  Boston  or  its  suburbs. 

Boston  is  the  home  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology,  a  famous  training  -college  in  applied  sciences ; 
Simmons  College  for  women;  the  Harvard  Medical -Col 
lege  ;  Boston  College  (Roman  Catholic)  ;  Boston  Univer 
sity  ;  the  Normal  Art  School ;  the  Conservatory  of  Music  ; 
the  Emerson  School  of  Oratory. 

Harvard,  the  oldest  and  one  of  the  largest  universities 


BOSTON  169 

in  the  country,  lias  its  home  in  Cambridge.  Radcliffe,  a 
college  for  women,  whose  pupils  receive  the  same  courses 
of  instruction  as  the  students  in  Harvard,  is  also  in 
Cambridge.  Tufts  College  is  in  the  neighboring  city  of 
Medford,  while  in  the  beautiful  hill  town  of  Wellesley, 
a  suburb  of  Boston,  is  Wellesley  College,  a  woman's 
college  of  high  rank. 

But  now,  if  we  hurry,  we  shall  be  just  in  time  to  see 
the  children  flocking  in  crowds  to  one  of  their  many  play 
grounds.  Here  they  find  swings  and  other  apparatus  for 
sport ;  and  here  they  may  play  tennis,  baseball,  or  football 
in  the  spring,  summer,  and  fall.  In  the  winter  months 
they  may  make  use  of  the  ice,  which  is  kept  in  good  con 
dition  for  the  skater.  In  the  various  districts,  also,  are 
swimming  pools  and  indoor  gymnasiums,  where  old  and 
young  meet  for  recreation  as  well  as  for  physical  training. 

Having  seen  Boston  at  work  and  at  play,  we  now  ask 
ourselves  where  the  food  comes  from  to  feed  this  vast 
multitude.  Its  meats,  flour,  and  grain  of  all  kinds  are 
brought  into  its  huge  freight  stations  from  the  West.  Its 
great  ocean  trade  with  the  ports  in  the  South  as  well  as 
in  Europe  and  Asia  supplies  other  food  necessities  and 
luxuries.  New  England  is  a  great  dairy  center,  and  much 
of  the  city's  milk,  butter,  and  other  dairy  products  comes 
to  Boston  each  morning  from  New  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
and  western  Massachusetts.  The  purity  of  the  milk  is 
carefully  watched,  and  it  is  impossible  to  buy  even  a  pint 
of  milk  in  anything  but  a  sealed  jar. 

Boston's  drinking-water  is  equally  well  guarded.  The 
water,  as  well  as  the  sewage,  is  under  the  control  of  the 
Metropolitan  Water  and  Sewage  Commission.  There  is  a 

12 


170       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

high-pressure  distributing  station  at  Chestnut  Hill,  which 
gives  power  sufficient  to  force  water  to  the  highest  of 
Boston's  buildings. 

The  sewage  of  the  down-town  sections  of  the  city  is 
collected  in  a  main  drainage  system,  pumped  through  a 
tunnel  under  Dorchester  Bay  to  Moon  Island,  held  in 
large  reservoirs,  and  discharged  into  the  water  when  the 
tide  is  going  out.  The  sewage  of  the  outlying  districts  is 
conveyed  to  various  places  in  the  harbor  and  discharged 
into  the  water  at  a  depth  of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  where 
it  can  be  quickly  carried  out  to  sea, 

Our  stay  in  Boston  is  now  at  an  end.  Not  only  have 
we  traveled  over  many  miles  of  her  streets  and  visited 
her  famous  State  House,  her  busy  wharves,  and  her  in 
teresting  playgrounds,  but  wre  have  reviewed  many  events 
of  her  thrilling  history.  What  of  all  we  have  seen  or 
heard  is  it  most  important  for  us  to  remember  ?  First, 
that  Boston  is  the  seventh  city  in  size  in  the  United  States; 
second,  that  she  is  the  capital  city  of  Massachusetts; 
third,  that  she  is  the  chief  -  trade  center  of  New  England; 
and  fourth,  that  among  America's  cities  she  ranks  second 
only  to  New  York  in  foreign  commerce.  Then  we  must 
not  forget  the  important  place  she  holds  in  the  early 
history  of  our  country. 

As  we  traveled  into  Boston,  so  we  will  journey  out 
again.  And  with  the  last  of  the  great  city  fading  from 
our  view,  we  call  to  mind  the  large-hearted  Blackstone 
and  say  to  ourselves,  '"  Quite  a  change  from  the  hermit's 
home  on  the  sunny  slope  of  Beacon  Hill." 


BOSTON  171 


BOSTON 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  800,000  (748,060). 
Seventh  in  rank  according  to  population. 
Hanks  first  among  American  cities  in  fish  and  wool  trades. 
Chief  trade  center  of  New  England. 
Principal  industries  (as  measured  by  value  of  products) : 
Printing  and  publishing ;  manufacture  of  boots  and 
shoes,  of  clothing,  of  foundry  and  machine-shop 
products. 

Place  of  great  historical  interest. 

One  of  the  leading  educational  centers  of  the  United 
States. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Tell  something  of  the  settlement  and  the  early  history 
of  Boston. 

2.  Tell  of  the  Boston  Tea  Party. 

3.  Tell  the  story  of  the  naming  of  Boston's  leading  busi 
ness  street. 

4.  Why  is  Boston's  chief  park  called  the  Common  ? 

5.  Compare  the  North  End  during  Revolutionary  times  with 
the  same  district  to-day. 

6.  What  is  there   of   interest  in   Back  Bay  ?     in  Copley 
Square  ? 

7.  Describe  some  of  the  busy   scenes   which  may   be   ob 
served  along  the  wharves  of  the  city. 

8.  Tell    something    about    the    street   railways    and    other 
means  of  transportation. 

9.  Give  a  brief  description  of  the  Boston  Public  Library. 


172       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

10.  Tell    what   you   know  of  Harvard   University.     What 
other  noted  schools  are  in  or  near  Boston  ? 

11.  Name  some  of  the  advantages  which  Boston  enjoys  on 
account  of  her  splendid  harbor. 

12.  Give   some  facts  about  the  commercial  importance  of 
Boston. 

13.  In  the  manufacture  of  what  three  products  does  Boston, 
with  her  neighboring  cities,  rank  high  ? 

14.  Why  is  a  codfish  suspended  in  the  hall  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  in  the  State  House  ? 


BALTIMORE 

Near  the  head  of  Chesapeake  Bay  stands  Baltimore,  the 
largest  of  our  Southern  cities  and  the  eighth  city  in  size 
in  the  United  States. 

Because  of  her  importance  as  a  Southern  railroad  cen 
ter  and  her  excellent  harbor  on  the  largest  bay  of  the 
Atlantic  coast,  Baltimore  is  called  "  The  Gateway  to  the 
South.  Great  ships  from  all  parts  of  the  world  unload 
their  cargoes  at  her  docks  and  take  in  return  products 
from  nearly  every  section  of  the  United  States. 

The  railroads  bring  to  Baltimore  vast  quantities  of  iron, 
coal,  and  grain  from  the  West,  and  up  from  the  South 
ships  and  trains  come  laden  with  raw  sugar,  tobacco, 
fruits,  and  vegetables.  Here  the  oysters,  fish,  and  crabs 
from  Chesapeake  Bay  and  the  products  of  the  rich  farm 
lands  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  find  a  ready  market. 

Knowing  these  things,  one  can  surmise  what  the  city's 
leading  industries  and  exports  must  be.  Baltimore  is  the 
world's  greatest  oyster  market,  she  leads  the  world  in  the 
canning  of  vegetables  and  fruits,  she  is  one  of  the  country's 
largest  banana  markets,  and  more  corn  is  exported  from 
this  city  than  from  anywhere  else  in  America. 

173 


174       GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Baltimore  is  a  great  manufacturing  center,  she  leads  the 
world  in  the  making  of  straw  hats,  and  among  her  fore 
most  industries  are  the  manufacture  of  clothing  and  the 
making  of  tobacco  goods. 

Thanks  to  the  coal  and  iron  she  receives,  Baltimore 
builds  cars,  ships,  and  almost  everything  made  of  iron 


AN  OYSTER  BOAT 

and   steel.     Then,   too,   the   city  has  the    largest   copper- 
refining  plant  in  America. 

If  this  story  had  been  written  a  few  years  ago,  it 
would  tell  you  that  Baltimore's  streets  were  narrow,  that 
miles  of  them  were  paved  with  cobblestones  or  were  not 
paved  at  all,  and  that  the  city  generally  was  develop 
ing  very  slowly.  But  to-day  we  have  a  quite  different 
Baltimore. 


BALTIMORE 


175 


THE  BALTIMORE  FIRE 


On  February  7th  and  8th,  1904,  a  great  fire  swept  the 
business  section  of  the  city,  destroying  $125,000,000  worth 
of  property.  While  the  ruins  were  still  smoldering,  the 
courageous  people,  refusing  all  help  from  outside,  began 
to  plan  a  bigger  and  better  Baltimore. 


176       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  work  began  in  the  burned  part  of  the  city.  The 
narrow  down-town  streets  were  widened  and  .paved,  and 
new  and  better  buildings  took  the  place  ef  the  burned 
ones.  Most  of  these  new  buildings  are  three  or  four 
stories  high,  though  a  few  tall  ones  range  from  ten  to 


THE  BURNED  PART  OF  THE  CITY 

sixteen  stories.  Fortunately  three  of  Baltimore's  oldest 
and  most  imposing  buildings  escaped  the  fire  —  the  post 
office,  the  city  hall,  and  the  courthouse. 

Two  important  streets  cross  this  newly  built  business 
section  —  Charles  Street,  running  north  and  south,  and 
Baltimore  Street,  running  east  and  west.  Baltimore  Street 
is  the  chief  business  thoroughfare,  and  north  and  south  of 
it  are  the  wholesale,  financial,  and  shipping  districts. 


ONE  OF  THE  NEW  WHARVES 
177 


178       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  city  owned  little  wharf  property  of  importance 
before  1904,  but  the  fire  made  it  possible  to  buy  all  the 
burned  district  fronting  the  harbor.  This  the  city  pur 
chased  and  laid  out  in  a  wonderful  system  of  public 
wharves  and  docks  open  to  the  commerce  of  the  world. 


THE  POST  OFFICE 


Pier  4,  at  the  foot  of  Market  Place,  has  been  set  aside  for 
the  use  of  market  boats,  and  here  small  craft  bring  much 
of  the  fruit,  vegetables,  fish,  crabs,  and  oysters  which 
make  the  markets  of  Baltimore  among  the  most  attractive 
in  the  United  States.  There  are  eleven  of  these  markets, 
and  on  market  days  they  are  a  most  interesting  sight  with 
their  busy  jostling  crowds  all  eagerly  buying  or  selling. 


BALTIMORE 


179 


But  these  great  improvements  in  the  business  center 
and  along  the  water  front  are  only  part  of  the  good  results 
which  have  followed  the  fire.  In  past  years  Baltimore 
had  many  miles  of  open  sewers,  an  unhealthful  arrange 
ment  which  caused  much  sickness.  The  very  year  after 


THE  CITY  HALL 


the  fire,  work  was  begun  to  do  away  with  this  evil,  and 
to-day  the  city  has  a  sanitary,  up-to-date  sewer  system. 

Another  important  work  of  the  city-betterment  plan 
has  to  do  with  a  stream  called  Jones  Falls,  which  used  to 
flow  in  an  open  channel  right  through  the  center  of  the 
city.  This  stream  now  flows  through  great  concrete  tubes, 
over  which  is  a  broad  highway  running  diagonally  across 


LEXINGTON  MARKET 


FALLSWAY 
180 


BALTIMORE 


181 


the  city,  all  the  way  from  the  docks  to  the  railroad  term 
inal.  Then,  too,  the  city  has  a  fine  water  system,  great 
enough  to  supply  the  entire  city  with  purified  water  from 
Gunpowder  River.  And  besides  all  these  a  great  dam, 
the  third  longest  in  the  world,  has  been  built  across  the 
Susquehanna  River 
at  McCall  Ferry, 
furnishing  electric 
power  which  lights 
the  streets,  runs  the 
cars,  and  supplies 
power  for  many  of 
the  city's  factories. 
From  the  harbor 
Baltimore  stretches 
away  to  the  north 
and  west,  covering 
thirty-two  square 
miles.  Within  the 
city  are  green  hills 
and  pleasant  val 
leys,  and  a  chain  of 
beautiful  parks  with 
many  splendid  old  trees  bordering  the  boulevards  which 
connect  them.  Two  of  these  parks,  Mount  Vernon  Place 
and  Eutaw  Place,  are  near  die  center  of  Baltimore.  The 
former  is  cross  shaped,  and  here  stands  the  famous  monu 
ment  to  George  Washington,  the  first  statue  erected  to  his 
memory  in  this  country.  Eutaw  Place  is  a  long  parkway 
made  beautiful  with  statuary,  flowers,  fountains,  and  wind 
ing  walks,  and  on  either  side  stand  handsome  lesidences. 


McCALL  FERRY  DAM 


182       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Covering  seven  hundred  acres  of  picturesque  rolling 
land  is  Druid  Hill  Park,  with  its  miles  of  driveways,  its 
ancient  oak  trees,  its  athletic  grounds,  tennis  courts,  botan 
ical  palace,  zoo,  and  a  large  reservoir  lake.  The  rugged 


THE  CITY  OF  BALTIMORE 

scenery  of  Gwynn's  Falls  Park  challenges  Druid  Hill's 
claim  to  unequaled  beauty.  In  Patterson  Park  there  is 
the  largest  artificial  swimming  pool  in  the  United  States. 
Besides  its  many  swimming  pools  and  indoor  baths,  the 
city  has  organized  a  system  of  portable  baths  —  small 


BALTIMORE 


183 


THE  FIRST  WASHINGTON  MONUMENT 

houses  which  are  moved  from  corner  to  corner  in  the 
crowded  sections,  supplying  hot-  and  cold-water  shower 
baths  to  many  thousands  each  year. 

Baltimore  has  won  a  reputation  as  an  educational  center 


PATTERSON  PARK  SWIMMING  POOL 


A  PORTABLE  BATHHOUSE 
184 


BALTIMORE 


185 


through  the  splendid  equipment  and  wonderful  accom 
plishments  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  which  is  noted 
throughout  the  world,  especially  for  its  work  along 
medical  lines. 

Goucher    College,    for    women,    ranks    with    the    best 
women's   colleges   in   the   South.     The  Baltimore  College 


A  JOHNS  HOPKINS  BUILDING 

of  Dental  Surgery  is  the  oldest  college  of  its  kind  in 
the  world.  The  Walters  Art  Gallery,  and  the  Peabody 
Institute  with  its  art  gallery,  conservatory  of  music, 
and  library,  afford  opportunities  for  the  study  of  art, 
music,  and  literature. 

With  its  more  than  700,000  inhabitants,  Baltimore,  like 
Philadelphia,  is  a  city  of  homes  and  is  renowned  for  its 
good  old  Southern  hospitality. 

Way   back   in   1634,  a  company  of  Catholic  pilgrims 

13 


I8o       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

came  to  America  to  found  a  colony  where  their  religion 
would  not  be  interfered  with.  King  Charles  I  of  England 
granted  to  these  people  a  certain  territory  north  of  the 
Potomac  River,  which  he  named  Maryland  in  honor  of 
his  wife,  Mary,  who  was  also  a  Catholic.  The  founder 
of  the  province  was  Lord  Baltimore,  and  from  the  very  be 
ginning,  settlers  of  all  beliefs  were  made  heartily  welcome. 

About  one  hundred  years  after 
the  planting  of  this  Catholic  colony, 
sixty  acres  of  land  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Patapsco  River  was  purchased 
and  laid  out  for  a  city.  To  honor  the 
generous-hearted  founder  of  Mary 
land,  the  place  was  named  Baltimore. 
One  of  the  most  thrilling  events 
in  Baltimore's  history  led  to  the  writ 
ing  of  our  national  song  —  :t  The 
Star-Spangled  Banner/' 

Francis  Scott  Key,  of  Baltimore,  was  a  prisoner  on  a 
British  man-of-war  in  1814,  when  the  British  attacked 
Fort  McHenry.  Fort  McHenry  guarded  Baltimore,  and  if 
the  fort  fell,  the  city  too  must  go.  All  day  the  English 
ships  fired  shot  and  shell  at  the  fort.  During  all  the  night 
the  attack  went  on.  Anxiously  Key  watched  through  the 
darkness.  Could  the  fort  hold  out  against  such  a  terrible 
bombardment  ?  From  time  to  time,  by  flashes  from  burst 
ing  bombs,  he  could  see  the  outlines  of  the  fort.  Then 
came  the  dawn.  In  the  early  morning  light  Key  saw  our 
flag  still  waving,  and  in  his  joy  he  wrote  on  the  back  of 
an  old  letter  the  words  of  the  song  that  has  since  become 
so  famous. 


LOCATION  OF  BALTI 
MORE 


BALTIMORE  187 

A  wide  thoroughfare  which  follows  the  curve  of  the 
water  front  for  several  miles  is  named  in  honor  of  Francis 
Scott  Key.  Key  Highway,  it  is  called,  and  it  leads  to  Fort 
McHenry,  which  the  War  Department  some  years  ago 
gave  over  to  the  care  of  the  city  of  Baltimore. 


BALTIMORE 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 
Population  (1920),  over  700,000  (733,826). 
Eighth  city  in  rank,  according  to  population,  in  the  United 

States. 

Located  near  the  head  of  Chesapeake  Bay. 
Has  a  fine  harbor  and  a  splendid  dock  system. 
An  important  railroad  center. 
Has  a  large  and  growing  foreign  commerce. 
An  important  manufacturing  center. 
Ranks  first  among  the  cities  of  the  United  States  as  a 

canning  and  preserving  center. 
The  world's  chief  center  for  the  manufacture  of  straw 

hats. 

An  important  center  for  shipping  oysters  and  crabs. 
Associated    with    the    writing    of    "  The    Star-Spangled 

Banner." 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  What  advantages  of  location  does  Baltimore  possess  ? 

2.  Why  is  Baltimore  called  the  gateway  to  the  South  ? 

3.  What  are  the  leading  exports  of  this  city  ? 

4.  In    what    industries   does    Baltimore    rank   first   in    the 
United  States  ? 


188     CHEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

5.  What  great  disaster  "visited  Baltimore  in  1904,  and  how 
did  the  people  of  the  city  make  this  great  trouble  result  in 
a  better  city  ? 

6.  What  educational  institution  has  won  a  splendid  repu 
tation  for  Baltimore '/ 

7.  Tell  something  of  the  settlement  of  Maryland  and  the 
city  of  Baltimore. 

8.  Tell  the  story  of  the  writing  of  a  famous  song  of  which 
Baltimore  is  justly  proud. 

9.  Find  by  inquiry  or  by  consulting  time  tables  the  time 
required  to  reach  Baltimore  from  the  following  places : 

New  York  City  Atlanta 

Philadelphia  Norfolk 

Washington,  D.C.  Ivichmond 

Pittsburgh  New  Orleans 


PITTSBURGH 

Pittsburgh  and  New  Orleans  —  both  of  vast  commercial 
importance  —  are  connected  by  one  of  the  greatest  water 
highways  in  the  world.  Never  were  two  cities  more  unlike. 
New  Orleans,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  with  its 
French  and  its  Southern  population,  might  be  termed  the 
Paris  of  our  country  —  this  gay,  fashionable  town,  with  its 
fine  opera  houses,  its  noted  restaurants,  and  its  brilliant 
Mardi  Gras  pageants.  Pittsburgh,  on  the  other  hand,  at  the 
head  of  the  Ohio  River,  in  the  heart  of  a  famous  coal-and 
iron  region,  is  well  named  the  "  workshop  of  the  world." 

Many  years  ago,  when  the  governor  of  Virginia  sent 
George  Washington  to  drive  the  French  from  the  Ohio 
valley,  there  stood,  where  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela 
rivers  unite  to  form  the  Ohio  River,  a  small  fort  which 
the  French  called  Fort  Duquesne.  This  fort  was  captured 
in  1758  by  the  British  and  renamed  Fort  Pitt,  in  honor 
of  England's  great  statesman,  William  Pitt.  To-day  the 
place  is  known  as  Pittsburgh,  and  is  the  center  of  the 
most  extensive  iron  works  in  the  United  States. 

At  first  the  little  settlement  was  important  as  a  break 
in  transportation,  'for  here  cargoes  were  changed  from  the 

189 


190      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

lighter  boats  used  on  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela 
rivers  to  the  heavier  barges  on  the  broad  Ohio.  Even  then 
Pittsburgh  was  recognized  as  a  gateway  of  the  West. 

Gradually  the  settlement  became  a  trading  center, 
which  soon  developed  into  a  big,  busy,  manufacturing 
city.  Now  Pittsburgh  has  a  population  of  over  half  a 
million  and  is  the  ninth  city  in  size  in  the  Union. 


FORT  DUQUESNE 

In  her  countless  factories,  her  mammoth  steel  mills,  and 
her  huge  foundries,  she  uses  the  products  of  the  rich  sur 
rounding  country  as  well  as  an  enormous  amount  of  iron 
ore  from  the  Lake  Superior  mines. 

Although  western  Pennsylvania  too  furnishes  iron  ore, 
its  chief  contribution  to  Pittsburgh  is  a  vast  amount  of 
coal,  which  the  city  in  turn  supplies  to  the  world. 


PITTSBURGH 


191 


BLOCKHOUSE  IN 


HTQUESXE 


Pittsburgh  leads  the  world  in  the  manufacture  of  steel 
and  iron,  glassware   (including  plate  and  window  glass), 

armor  plate,  steel  cars, 
air  brakes,  iron  and  steel 
pipe,  tin  plate,  fire  brick, 
coke,  sheet  steel,  white 
lead,  cork  wares,  elec 
trical  machinery,  and 
pickles. 

To  carry  on  these 
important  industries, 
Pittsburgh,  the  city  of 
McKeesport,  the  bor 
oughs  of  Homestead  and 
Braddock,  and  many 
other  places, —  all  together  known  as  the  Pittsburgh  dis 
trict, —  have  more  than  5000  manufacturing  plants  and 
employ  over  350,000 
people.  The  amount 
paid  the  laborers  in 
these  factories  in 
prosperous  times  is 
over  11,000,000  a 
day. 

The  famous  Home 
stead  mills  make 
armor  plate  for  bat 
tleships.  At  Brad- 
dock  are  steel  works, 
where  great  furnaces 
turn  out  enough  rails 


port 


THE  PITTSBURGH  DISTRICT 


FILLING  MOLDS  WITH  MOLTEN  METAL 


BLAST  FURNACES  OF  THE  CARNEGIE  STEEL  COMPANY 
192 


PITTSBURGH 


193 


in  a  year  to  span  the  United  States  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific.  The  great  Carnegie  Steel  Company  has  its  head 
quarters  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh  and  leads  the  world  in  the 
production  of  structural  steel,  steel  rails,  and  armor  plate. 
Perhaps  your  knife  blade  is  made  of  steel  manufac 
tured  in  one  of  the  huge  factories  in  this  busy  district. 


MIXERS  AT  WORK 


The  car  tracks  of  your  town,  the  street-car  wheels,  and 
the  great  locomotives,  to  say  nothing  of  the  heavy  steel 
beams  and  girders  of  your  fireproof  buildings,  may  all 
be  products  of  this  mighty  workshop. 

Pittsburgh  coal  is  used  all  over  the  country.  The  near-by 
mines  form  a  great  underground  city,  whose  dark  passage 
ways,  far  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  are  lighted  by 


194       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

tiny  electric  lights.  More  than  fifteen  thousand  men  find 
employment  in  this  weird  city.  Day  after  day  the  brave 
miners  go  down  into  the  mines,  never  sure  that  they  will 
see  the  sunlight  again,  for  many  are  the  perils  of  min 
ing.  Who  has  not  read  of  the  terrible  disasters  caused  by 


IN  A  MODERN   COAL  MINE 


suffocation  from  fire  damp,  by  flood,  the  falling  of  walls, 
or  the  explosion  of  coal  dust  ?  Small  particles  of  coal  dust 
are  constantly  floating  in  the  mines,  and  much  is  stirred 
up  by  the  cars  used  to  carry  the  coal  to  the  outside  world. 
A  tiny  spark  may  ignite  this  dust  and  cause  it  to  explode 
with  terrific  force.  Sometimes  even  tho  presence  of  much 
oxygen  in  the  air  will  make  the  dust  explode,  tearing  down 


THE  ENTRANCE  TO  A   COAL  MINE 


SCENE  IN  A  COAL  MINE 
193 


196       GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

great  blocks  of  coal  which  bury  the  poor  miners  or  stop 
up  the  passageways  so  that  there  is  no  escape  unless  the 
victims  are  dug  out  before  they  die. 

But  the  world  must  have  coal,  for,  used  for  our  great 
boilers,  it  drives  our  powerful  locomotives,  sends  mighty 
vessels  plowing  across  the  ocean,  and  supplies  the  power 
which  turns  the  wheels  of  industry,  both  great  and  small. 


PITTSBURGH  COAL  IS  SENT  ALL  OVER  THE  WORLD 

Yes,  the  world  must  have  coal.  So  Uncle  Sam,  in  pity  for 
the  miners  who  brave  these  awful  dangers,  has  bought  a 
mine  at  Bruceton,  a  short  distance  from  Pittsburgh.  There 
the  government  is  making  experiments  to  find  out  the 
causes  of  explosion,  aiming  in  this  way  to  protect  the 
miners  by  lessening  their  dangers. 

Much  of  the   coal   is  made  into  coke  by  burning  out 
certain    gases    in    open-air    ovens.     Thousands    of    these 


198       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


ovens  are  located  in  the 
Pittsburgh  district,  and 
their  fires  at  night  illu 
minate  the  country  for 
miles.  The  coke  is  used 
as  fuel  in  the  steel  fur 
naces  of  Pittsburgh,  Cleve 
land,  Chicago,  and  other 
cities. 

A  little  more  than  fifty 
years  ago  petroleum,  or 
rock  oil,  was  discovered 
near  Pittsburgh,  and  al 
though  oil  has  since  been 
found  in  many  other 
places,  Pittsburgh  is  still 
one  of  the  great  centers 
for  this  product.  Crude 
petroleum  as  it  comes 
from  the  earth  is  a  liquid, 
formed  from  the  decay  of 
plants  and  animals  long 
ago  buried  underground. 
It  is  obtained  by  sinking 
wells,  or  pipes,  into  oil- 
bearing  rock,  which  is 
very  porous.  Sometimes 
the  pipes  are  sunk  a  quar 
ter  of  a  mile  deep.  The 
average  yield  is  from  50 
to  75  barrels  a  day,  and 


PITTSBURGH  199 

occasionally  a  pipe  well  is  found  which  yields  as  high 
as  1000  barrels. 

Sometimes  a  well  stops  flowing.  Then  the  oil  .must  be 
pumped  from  the  earth  or  else  forced  out  by  the  explosion 
of  dynamite.  Such  a  well  is  spoken  of  as  a  "  shot  well." 
When  a  well  is  shot,  a  vast  column  of  oil  is  thrown  into 
the  air,  just  as  water  is  thrown  up  in  a  geyser  or  hot 
spring,  by  the  action  of  gases  under  ground. 

Pittsburgh  makes  great  storage  tanks  for  the  oil,  as 
well  as  apparatus  for  drilling  wells,  and  supplies  these 
not  only  to  our  own  country  but  to  every  foreign  land 
in  which  oil  is  found. 

When  petroleum  is  heated  it  gives  off  vapors,  varying 
according  to  the  heat.  These  vapors  are  then  condensed  and 
form  many  products  which  are  now  in  every-clay  use,  such 
as  kerosene,  gasoline,  naphtha,  and  benzine.  Vaseline  is 
what  remains  in  the  vats  afte'r  heating  the  petroleum. 
Paraffin  is  another  product.  Pittsburgh  manufactures  all 
these  and  supplies  them  to  the  world. 

The  discovery  of  natural  gas  about  twenty-five  years 
ago,  and  its  use  as  a  f.uel,  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
world  to  Pittsburgh  as  a  center  of  cheap  fuel.  Natural 
gas  is  found  in  and  around  oil  fields,  so  it  is  supposed 
that  the  gas  and  the  oil  have  the  same  origin.  The  porous 
rock  in  which  the  gas  is  found  is  usually  covered  with 
clay  rock,  or  shale,  which  prevents  the  gas  from  escaping. 
Natural  gas,  like  petroleum,  is  obtained  by  sinking  pipes. 
When  the  gas  is  reached,  it  rushes  out  with  great  force. 
Large  quantities  of  it  were  formerly  used  in  Pittsburgh's 
glass  factories  and  iron  works,  but  its  greatest  use  to-day 
is  for  lighting  and  heating. 


200       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


The  city  of  Pittsburgh  stretches  for-  7  miles  along 
the  Allegheny,  about  the  same  distance  on  the  Monon- 
gahela,  and  entirely  covers  the  space  between.  The 
city  of  Allegheny,  across  the  Allegheny  River,  has  been 
annexed,  thus  giving  Pittsburgh  an  area  of  38  square  miles. 

,      The  two  cities,  with 

the  river  between, 
remind  us  of  Brook 
lyn  and  Manhattan. 
The  city's  water 
supply  is  taken 
from  the  Allegheny 
River  and  is  purified 
in  the  largest  single 
filtration  plant  in 
the  world. 

The  main  busi 
ness  section  covers 
the  V-shaped  space 
between  the  two 
rivers  —  known  as 
the  Point — and  ex- 

WOOD  STREET  AT  SIXTH  A V EN  UK  IN   1901!          tends  illtO  the  Streets 

further  back.    Still 

beyond  are  heights  upon  which  are  many  beautiful  parks, 
fine  residences,  and  splendid  public  buildings,  including 
the  Carnegie  Museum,  Library,  and  Technical  Schools, 
and  the  buildings  of  Pittsburgh  University. 

Though  the  population  of  the  "  Steel  City  "  was  at  first 
mainly  Scotch-Irish,  it  now  includes  citizens  from  almost 
every  nation  in  Europe.  The  workmen  in  its  factories  are 


PITTSBURGH 


201 


of  at  least  thirty  nationalities.  Side  by  side  stand  English, 
Germans,  Welsh,  Irish,  Scotch,  Negroes,  Jews,  Italians, 
Syrians,  Swedes,  Greeks,  Slavs,  Poles,  and  Hungarians. 

In  one  section  of  the  city  there  is  a  distinct  German 
center,  whose  inhabitants  speak  German  and  have  German 
newspapers.  Another 
section  has  received 
the  name  of  Little 
Italy  because  of  the 
number  of  Italians 
who  have  come 
there  to  live.  Six 
papers  are  published 
for  these  people  in 
their  own  tongue. 
In  Little  Italy  are 
many  of  the  fruit 
stands  and  market 
places  which  in  this 
country  seem  to 
furnish  a  favorite 
employment  for  the 
sons  of  Italy. 

In    still    another 

section,  which  is  called  the  Ghetto,  live  the  J-ews,  whose 
conversation  is  largely  carried  on  in  Yiddish,  and  whose 
newspapers  are  printed  in  that  language.  All  of  these 
foreign-born  people  have  adopted  the  dress  of  American 
citizens,  and  their  descendants  will  soon  become  Ameri 
canized  in  manners  and  language.  To-day  their  foreign 
ways  make  them  the  more  interesting. 

14 


WOOD  STREET  AT  SIXTH  AVENUE  IN  1915 


202      GEEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


But  the  laborers  are  by  no  means  the  only  inhabitants 
of  Pittsburgh.  There  are  many  wealthy  residents,  whose 
palatial  homes,  built  beyond  the  reach  of  the  soot  and 
smoke,  far  away  from  the  noises  of  the  great  business 
thoroughfares,  are  in  great  contrast  to  the  workmen's 

simple    homes    near 
the  furnaces. 

Pittsburgh  can 
boast  of  many  great 
men.  It  was  the  home 
of  Andrew  Carnegie, 
whose  reputation  for 
''wealth  and  benevo 
lence  is  world  wide. 
He  it  was  who  con 
ceived  the  idea  of 
founding  free  libra 
ries  in  different 
cities,  they  in  turn 
to  support  these 
libraries  by  giving 
an  annual  sum  for 
that  purpose.  His 
first  offer  was  to 

his  own  city  In  1881  he  proposed  to  give  Pittsburgh 
$250,000  for  a  free  public  library  if  the  city  would  set 
apart  $15,000  each  year  for  its  care.  The  offer  was  re 
fused,  and  the  library  was  given  to  Allegheny  instead. 
Later  Mr.  Carnegie  gave  Pittsburgh  an  Institute  and 
Library  combined,  for  the  support  of  which  the  city  gives 
$200,000  each  year.  The  Carnegie  Institute  is  a  massive 


A  FOREIGN  QUARTER 


PITTSBURGH 


203 


and  beautiful  building  in  Schenley  Park.  It  covers  5  acres 
of  land  and  is  tilled  with  treasures  of  art  and  literature. 
To-day  there  are  nine  Carnegie  libraries  in  Pittsburgh, 
containing  over  450,000  volumes. 

George  Westinghouse  was  another  Pittsburgh  capitalist. 
His  early  days  were  spent  in  making  agricultural  imple 
ments  in  Schenec- 
tady.  He  was  called 
Lazy  George  be 
cause  he  was  always 
making  pieces  of 
machinery  to  save 
doing  work  with  his 
hands.  Later,  by 
his  invention  of  air 
brakes  for  trains,  he 
became  rich.  Choos 
ing  Pittsburgh  as 
his  home,  he  estab 
lished  in  and  near 
the  city  the  great 
Westinghouse  Elec 
tric  Company.  It 
was  Mr.  Westing- 
house  who  gave  to 
Pittsburgh  natural  gas,  conveying  it  through  forty  miles 
of  pipe  from  Murrysville. 

Towering  above  Pittsburgh  are  high  hills,  which  are 
reached  from  the  business  districts  by  inclined  planes. 
Passengers  and  freight  are  carried  up  the  inclines  in  cable 
cars.  Up  the  steepest  of  these  planes,  the  Monongahela, 


AX  INCLINED  PLANE 


204     GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

whose  summit  is  four  hundred  feet  above  the  river,  the 
railroad  runs  through  a  tunnel  and  brings  the  passengers 
out  upon  a  high  bluff. 

From  the  heights  above  the  city  one  views  the  sur 
rounding  country  —  a  wonderful  panorama  of  hills  and 
valleys,  with  the  three  great  rivers,  spanned  by  seventeen 


FROM  THE  HEIGHTS  ABOVE  THE  CITY 

splendid  bridges,  stretching  away  in  the  distance.  In 
every  direction  are  towns  called  "  little  Pittsburghs," 
where  live  the  workers  engaged  in  the  gigantic  industries 
of  the  Pittsburgh  district.  And  looking  down,  one  sees 
the  Point  —  the  center  of  this  great  city,  the  heart 
of  the  "  workshop  of  the  world.'' 


PITTSBURGH  205 


PITTSBURGH 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  600,000  (588,343). 

Ninth  city  in  rank,  according  to  population. 

Has  the  largest  structural-steel  plant  in  the  world. 

Has    the    largest    glass-manufacturing    plant     in     the 

United  States. 
Has  the  largest  commercial  coal  plant  in  the  United 

States. 

Has  the  largest  pickling  plant  in  the  world. 
Has   the  largest   electrical   manufacturing  plant   in  the 

world. 
Leads  the  world  in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  steel,  glass, 

electrical  machinery,  steel  cars,  tin  plate,  air  brakes, 

tire  brick,  white  lead,  pickles,  and  cork  wares. 
Place  of  great  historical  interest  in  connection  with  the 

development  of  the  West. 
One  of  the  foremost  commercial  distributing  centers. 


QUESTIONS  FOU   REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Compare  Pittsburgh  with  New  Orleans  in.  location  and 
in  interests. 

2.  Tell  how  Fort  Pitt  grew  into  the  great  city  of  Pitts 
burgh  and  give  two  causes  for  its  growth. 

3.  Where  does  Pittsburgh  get  her  iron  ore,  coal,  and  petro 
leum  ? 

4.  In  what  manufactures  does  the  city  lead  the  world  ? 

5.  What  great  advantages  does  its  location  on  the   Ohio 
River  give  Pittsburgh  ? 

6.  Where  are   her   great   steel   works,   and    what    do   they 
manufacture  ? 


206     GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

7.  Describe  the  mine  cities  and  the  miners.    Tell  of  their 
dangers  and  how  these  are  to  be  lessened. 

8.  How  is  petroleum  obtained?    What  products  in  daily 
use  are  made  from  it  ? 

9.  Give    some    facts    about    natural    gas    and    its    use    in 
Pittsburgh. 

10.  Why    is    Pittsburgh    called    the    "workshop    of    the 
world"? 

11.  Xame   two   famous   men  of  Pittsburgh  and   tell  what 
they  have  done  for  the  city  and  for  the  world. 

12.  Examine    a    map    and    find    what    shipping    ports    are 
within  easy  access  of  Pittsburgh. 

13.  Find  by  what  route  ore  and  other  material  shipped  by 
way  of  the  Great  Lakes  reach  Pittsburgh. 


BUFFALO 

About  1783  Cornelius  Winne,  a  trader,  built  a  little 
log  store  at  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  River,  which  empties 
into  Lake  Erie.  That  was  the  beginning  of  Buffalo,  the 
queen  city  of  the  lakes,  the  home  to-day  of  more  than 
five  hundred  thousand  people. 

To  understand  the  wonderful  growth  of  this  city  we 
must  go  back  to  the  days  of  the  Revolution  and  see  New 
York  in  those  early  times.  Almost  all  the  people  of  the 
United  States  then  lived  on  the  narrow  ,  strip  of  land 
lying  between  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  the  Appalachian 
Highlands.  The  high  forest-covered  mountains  made  a 
barrier  that  kept  the  colonial  settlers  from  attempting  to 
push  out  toward  the  west. 

But  in  New  York  State  nature  had  left  an  opening 
between  the  mountain  ranges,  along  the  courses  of  the 
Hudson  and  the  Mohawk  rivers.  Settlers  had  early 
followed  these  streams  and  built  homes  in  their  valleys. 
Beyond  lay  the  trackless  hunting  grounds  of  the  Indians 
• — the  great  West. 

With  the  close  of  the  Revolution  things  began  to 
change.  New  York  made  a  treaty  with  the  Indians, 

207 


208      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

whereby  tlfey  agreed  to  sell  large  tracts  of  their  lands. 
Pioneers  pushed  their  way  into  the  unknown  wilderness 
of  the  western  part  of  the  state  and  found  a  beautiful 
fertile  country.  Their  reports  led  hundreds  to  follow 
them.  Soon  central  and  northern  New  York  were  dotted 
with  settlements.  More  and  more  immigrants  kept  coming, 


A   LOCK  PORT  LOCK 


all  seeking  the  land  beyond  the  Appalachian  Mountains. 
The  great  western  movement  of  the  nineteenth  century 
had  begun. 

Winne  had  built  his  trading  post  before  this  westward 
movement  reached  Lake  Erie.  For  some  time  he  lived  in 
his  log  cabin  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  with  no  neighbors 
except  the  Indians  with  whom  he  traded.  But  gradually 


BUFFALO  209 

other  settlers  came  and  built  homes  near  him.  By  1804 
there  were  about  twenty  houses  in  the  little  settlement, 
which,  for  a  short  time,  was  called  New  Amsterdam. 

By  1812  the  name  had  been  changed  to  Buffalo,  and 
the  town  had  a  population  of  1500.  That  year  war  with 
England  broke  out,  and  in  1818  a  body  of  British  soldiers 
with  their  Indian  allies  crossed  the  Niagara  River  during 
the  night,  took  the  Americans  by  surprise,  and  burned 
Buffalo.  Of  its  three  hundred  houses,  just  one  escaped  the 


tehal 


Barge  cauals  shown  by  solid  lines ;    Erie  and  other  canals  by  dotted  lines 
NEW   YORK'S  CANALS 

flames.  But  nothing  daunted,  the  men  began  to  rebuild 
their  homes,  and  in  a  few  years  no  traces  of  the  fire 
were  to  be  seen. 

Tn  early  times  the  Indians  going  from  the  seacoast  to 
the  Great  Lakes  had  followed  the  Hudson  and  Mohawk 
rivers  and  then  gone  on  directly  west  to  Lake  Erie. 
With  the  coming  of  the  white  man  the  Indian  pathway 
grew  into  a  road,  and  in  1811  stagecoaches  began  to 
run  over  this  road  between  Buffalo  and  Albany. 

But  carrying  passengers  and  freight  by  stagecoach 
was  very  expensive,  and  a  few  men,  headed  by  Governor 
De  Witt  Clinton,  began  to  say  that  the  state  ought  to 


210      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


build  a  canal  connecting  Lake  Erie  with  the  Hudson 
Kiver.  Many  laughed  at  this  idea.  They  knew  very  little 
about  canals  and  thought  it  foolish  to  waste  millions  of 
dollars  on  a  useless  "  big  ditch,"  as  they  called  it. 

However,  those  in  favor  of  the  scheme  finally  won,  and 
the  work  of  building  the  Erie  Canal  was  begun  in  1817. 
It  very  nearly  followed  the  old  trail  between  Albany  and 

. Buffalo  and  was  363 

miles  long.  Eighty- 
three  locks  raised  and 
lowered  the  boats 
where  there  was  a 
difference  of  level 
in  the  canal.  Lock- 
port,  a  city  25  miles 
northeast  of  Buffalo, 
was  named  after 
these  locks,  there  be 
ing  10  of  them  there. 
In  1825  the  work 
was  completed ;  the 
Erie  Canal  was  opened,  and  at  last  there  was  a  water 
way  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Atlantic.  All  the 
towns  along  the  canal  held  a  great  celebration.  None  had 
better  reason  for  rejoicing  than  Buffalo.  In  1825  Buffalo 
was  a  little  hamlet  on  the  frontier.  Thanks  to  the  Erie 
Canal,  it  was  soon  to  become  one  of  the  leading  cities  of 
the  country. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  "  big  ditch "  was  known  as 
the  "  path  to  the  great  West."  A  rush  of  emigration 
further  west  followed,  and  all  these  travelers  stopped  at 


TRAVELING  BY  CANAL 


BUFFALO 


211 


Buffalo,  for  here  they  had  to  change  from  the  flat-bottomed 
canal  boats  to  the  lake  vessels.  Hotels  were  crowded, 
business  flourished,  and  Buffalo  became  "  a  great  doorway 
of  the  inland  sea." 

During  the  first  years  after  its  completion  little  freight 
was  carried  over  the  Erie  Canal,  but  settlers  kept  flock 
ing  into  the  West,  and  before  many  years  these  Western 


THE  BARGE  CANAL  NEAR  BUFFALO 

pioneers  were  raising  far  more  grain  than  they  could  use. 
Lake  commerce  began.  Hundreds  of  ships  brought  wheat, 
lumber,  and  furs  to  Buffalo  from  the  West  and  returned 
laden  with  manufactured  goods.  Buffalo  was  the  chief 
lake  port,  and  for  many  years  shipping  was  its  leading 
industry. 

Then  came  the  railroads.    The  first  railroad  to  Buffalo 
was  completed  in    1836.     A   few  years   later,  trains  ran 


212      GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

between  Albany  and  Buffalo,  and  in  time  carloads  of 
grain  were  shipped  by  rail.  Though  shipments  by  canal 
continued  and  even  increased  for  a  time,  the  railroads 
gradually  did  more  and  more  of  the  carrying,  and  finally 
robbed  the  canal  of  much  of  its  former  importance. 

Still,  shipping  by 
canal  was  cheaper. 
Improvements  have 
been  made  in  the 
Erie  Canal  from 
time  to  time,  and 
in  1903  the  state 
voted  $101,000,000 
for  the  enlargement 
of  the  Erie,  Oswe- 
go,  and  Champlain 
canals  into  the  1000- 
ton-barge  canal. 
This  was  completed 
in  1918,  is  12  feet 
deep  and  will  float 
much  larger  barges 
than  did  the  old 
Erie  Canal. 

But  to  return  to 

Buffalo.  The  city's  location  naturally  made  it  one  of  the 
great  centers  of  the  country.  Only  the  Niagara  River 
separates  the  city  from  the  most  thickly  settled  part  of 
Canada,  and  it  is  therefore  a  most  convenient  meeting 
place  of  the  two  countries.  Already  Buffalo's  trade  with 
Canada  amounts  to  over  150,000,000  a  year. 


THE  SITE  OF  BUFFALO 


BUFFALO  213 

Besides  being  one  of  the  chief  commercial  centers  of 
the  country,  Buffalo  is  an  important  manufacturing  town. 
Three  things  are  necessary  to  success  in  manufacturing  — 
raw  materials,  power,  and  a  market  where  the  finished 
goods  can  be  sold.  Buffalo  has  all  of  these  near  at 
hand.  The  country  round  about  is  singularly  rich  in 
natural  resources.  Forests,  fertile  farm  lands,  and  rich 
iron  and  coal  deposits  are  all  within  easy  reach  of  the 
city  and  supply  it  with  raw  material  at  small  cost  for 
transportation. 

No  city  in  the  world  has  greater  advantages  than 
Buffalo  in  the  matter  of  power.  The  Niagara  Falls 
furnish  an  unlimited  supply  of  electric  power,  which  is 
a  substitute  for  coal  and,  for  many  purposes,  more  con 
venient.  Buffalo's  nearness  to  the  coal  fields  of  Pennsyl 
vania  makes  the  cost  of  both  hard  and  soft  coal  IOWT. 
Natural  gas  and  oil  furnish  about  one  fifth  of  the  power 
now  used  in  the  city.  Both  are  found  near  Buffalo,  stored 
in  the  pores  and  cavities  of  rocks.  Holes  are  bored  into 
the  rocks,  and  the  petroleum  or  rock  oil  is  pumped  into 
huge  tanks.  The  gas  is  carried  by  underground  pipes 
to  the  city,  where  it  is  used  in  heating  and  lighting 
thousands  of  homes  and  factories. 

Lastly,  Buffalo  does  not  have  to  ship  its  products  far 
to  find  a  market.  Within  450  miles  of  the  city  live 
almost  50,000,000  people,  and  lakes,  canals,  and  railroads 
offer  cheap  and  rapid  transportation  to  all  parts  of  the 
country.  Thirteen  steamship  lines  and  18  railroads  enter 
the  'city.  There  are  2  trunk  lines  from  New  England; 
5  from  New  York ;  1  from  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and 
Washington  ;  1  from  St.  Louis ;  and  4  from  Chicago. 


214      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


The  richest 
iron  mines  in 
the  world  are 
located  south  of 
Lake  Superior, 
but  there  are  no 
coal  deposits  in 
this  region,  and 
coal  is  necessary 
for  the  manufac 
turing  of  iron 
and  steel.  As  it 
was  cheaper  to 
ship  the  ore  to 
the  coal  than 
to  carry  the  coal 
to  the  ore,  there 
w~ere  men  who, 
as  early  as  1860, 
saw  that  iron 
and  steel  could 
be  manufactured 
with  profit  in 
Buffalo.  Though 
blast  furnaces 
were  built  from 
time  to  time,  the 
industry  did  not 
attract  great 
attention  until 
1899.  In  that 


BUFFALO  215 

year  the  Lacka wanna  Iron  and  Steel  Company,  of  Scran- 
ton,  Pennsylvania,  moved  to  Buffalo  and  built  an  im 
mense  metal-working  plant.  This  plant  is  south  of  the 
city  and  extends  several  miles  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Erie.  The  company  has  built  a  ship  canal  over  half 
a  mile  long,  which  the  largest  lake  vessels  can  enter. 
( )n  one  side  of  this  canal  are  hundreds  of  coke  ovens 
and  the  storage  grounds  for  coal;  on  the  other  side  are 
the  ore  docks,  a  row  of  huge  blast  furnaces,  and  the 
steel  works  with  their  numerous  mills,  foundries,  and 
workshops. 

In  the  coke  ovens  millions  of  tons  of  soft  coal  are  every 
year  turned  into  coke,  which  is  really  coal  with  certain 
things  removed  by  heating.  This  coke  is  used  in  melting 
the  iron  in  the  blast  furnaces  —  so  called  because  during 
the  melting  strong  blasts  of  air  are  forced  into  the  fur 
naces.  These  furnaces  are  almost  a  hundred  feet  high, 
are  made  of  iron,  and  lined  witli  fire  brick.  Tons  of 
coke,  limestone,  and  iron  ore  are  dropped  in  from  above 
by  machinery,  and  the  intense  heat  of  the  burning  coke 
melts  the  iron,  which  sinks  to  the  bottom  of  the  furnace 
while  the  limestone  collects  the  impurities  and  forms  an 
upper  layer.  At  the  bottom  of  the  furnace  there  are  open 
ings  where  the  fiery-hot  liquid  runs  off  into  molds,  or 
forms,  in  which  it  cools  and  hardens.  The  waste  matter, 
called  slag,  is  also  drawn  off  at  the  bottom.  More  coke 
and  ore  are  added  from  above,  and  the  smelting  goes  on 
night  and  day  without  interruption  until  the  furnace 
needs  repair.  After  the  iron  has  been  separated  from  the 
ore,  it  is  taken  to  the  foundries  where  it  is  made  into 
steel  rails  and  many  other  kinds  of  iron  and  steel  goods. 


216      OKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


Other  iron  and  steel  companies  have  sprung  up  in 
Buffalo,  and  the  city  and  its  vicinity  is  now  manufactur 
ing  enormous  quantities  of  pig  iron,  steel  rails,  engines, 
car  wheels,  tools,  and  machinery. 

Back  in  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century  New 

York  was  the  lead 
ing  wheat-raising 
and  flour-producing 
state.  The  first  flour 
mill  in  the  Buffalo 
district  was  run  by 
water  power  fur 
nished  by  the  Erie 
Canal.  As  larger 
mills  followed  and 
steam  took  the  place 
of  water  power, 
Buffalo  became  an 
important  flour-mill 
ing  center.  Later, 
wheat  began  to  be 
raised  further  west, 
and  the  Central 
States  soon  took  the 
lead  in  wheat  grow 
ing  and  flour  milling.  But  Buffalo  had  the  advantage  of 
an  early  start.  Its  mills  were  already  built  and  working. 
Grain  from  the  West  kept  pouring  into  the  city  to  be 
stored  in  its  great  grain  elevators,  and  the  production  of 
flour  increased.  Larger  mills  were  built,  some  of  them  mak 
ing  use  of  the  Niagara  water  power.  To-day  there  are  more 


THE  ELECTRIC  BUILDING 


BUFFALO 


217 


than  a  dozen  companies  in  Buffalo  operating  flour  mills 
which  turn  out  over  3,000,000  barrels  of  flour  in  a  year. 

Buffalo's  slaughter-house  products  for  a  single  year  are 
worth  millions  of  dollars.  There  are  two  large  meat 
packing  firms  in  the  city,  slaughtering  over  a  million 
cattle  and  hogs  each 
year.  They  both  had 
small  beginnings  in 
the  butcher  business 
more  than  fifty  years 
ago.  In  1852  the 
first  stockyards  were 
opened,  and  the  city's 
live-stock  industry 
began.  Shipments  of 
live  stock  from  the 
grazing  states  of  the 
West  increased  un 
til  the  city  became 
the  second  cattle 
market  in  the  world, 
Chicago  alone  hand 
ling  more  live  stock 
than  Buffalo. 

When  first  settled,  the  lake  region  was  covered  with 
forests,  and  lumber  was  one  of  the  first  products  sent 
eastward  by  lake  steamers.  Millions  and  millions  of  feet 
of  pine  were  towed  down  the  lakes  on  barges  and  trans 
ferred  to  canal  boats  at  Buffalo,  and  the  city  became  one 
of  the  great  lumber  markets  of  the  country.  Although 
shipments  from  the  Northern  forests  have  not  been  so 


THE  BUFFALO  HOME  OF  THE  NEW    YORK 
TELEPHONE  COMPANY 


La 


THE  CITY  OF  BUFFALO 

218 


BUFFALO 


219 


great  in  the  last  twenty  years,  the  lumber  industry  con 
tinues  to  be  of  great  importance  to  Buffalo.  In  addition 
to  pine  from  the  lake  region,  the  city  receives  hard  wood 
from  the  South.  You  see  enormous  piles  of  lumber  in  the 
yards  of  the  city  itself,  and  Tonawanda,  a  suburb  ten 
miles  north  of  Buffalo,  has  the  largest  lumber  yards  in 
the  world.  These  yards  carry  on  a  large  wholesale  and 
retail  trade,  and  sawmills,  planing  mills,  and  many  lum 
ber  industries  have  grown  up  around  them.  Mill  work, 


THE  ARMORY 

doors,  mantels,  piano  cases,  and  furniture  are  some  of  the 
things  made  in  the  Buffalo  workshops. 

While  commerce  and  industry  were  thus  developing, 
the  city  itself  was  growing  in  size,  population,  and  beauty. 
It  extends  about  ten  miles  along  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie 
and  the  Niagara  River.  In  the  residence  section  there  are 
thousands  of  beautiful  homes,  set  well  back  from  broad 
streets  and  surrounded  by  wide  lawns  and  gardens. 
Delaware  Avenue,  with  its  branching  boulevards  and 
parkways,  is  the  finest  of  these  residence  sections. 


WADING  POOL  IN  HUMBOLDT  PARK 


A  PUBLIC  PLAYGROUND 
220 


BUFFALO  221 

Several  large  parks  and  many  smaller  squares  are  scat 
tered  throughout  the  city,  while  swimming  pools,  wading 
ponds,  and  public  playgrounds  delight  the  hearts  of  the 
children.  Lake  breezes  make  the  city  cool  in  summer,  and 
altogether  Buffalo  is  one  of  the  cleanest,  most  healthful, 
and  most  beautiful  cities  of  the  country. 

Through  the  southern  part  of  the  city  flows  the  sluggish 
and  winding  Buffalo  River.  In  the  early  days -the  mouth 


THE  ALBRIGHT  ART  GALLERY. 

of  this  stream  was  the  only  harbor  of  the  port,  although 
it  was  then  very  shallow.  Millions  of  dollars  have  been 
spent  in  deepening  and  improving  this  inner  harbor,  while 
a  larger  outer  harbor  has  been  made  by  inclosing  a  part 
of  the  lake  by  breakwaters.  The  harbor  of  Buffalo  is  now 
one  of  the  best  on  the  Great  Lakes. 

About  two  miles  north  of  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  River 
is  The  Front,  a  park  overlooking  the  water  and  giving 
a  beautiful  view  of  Lake  Erie,  the  Niagara  River,  and 


222      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

the  Canadian  shore.  It  is  a  government  reservation,  and 
here  is  Fort  Porter.  Further  north  the  International 
Railroad  Bridge  connects  Canada  with  the  city  of  Buffalo. 


THE  McKINLEY  MONUMENT 

Delaware  Park,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  city,  is  the 
largest  and  most  beautiful  of  Buffalo's  parks.  Near  the 
northeastern  entrance  is  the  zoological  garden,  with  a  seal 
pool,  bear  pits,  and  many  strange  and  interesting  animals. 
In  the  western  part  is  the  Albright  Art  Gallery,  a  beauti 
ful  building  of  white  marble.  Here,  too,  is  the  Buffalo 


NIAGARA  FALLS 


223 


224      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Historical-Society  Building,  which  was  the  New  York 
State  Building  during  the  Pan-American  Exposition 
which  was  held  in  Delaware  Park  and  on  the  adjoining 
land  in  1901. 

In  the  center  of  Niagara  Square  stands  the  McKinley 
Monument,  erected  by  the  state  of  New  York  in  honor  of 
President  William  McKinley,  who  was  shot  at  the  Pan- 
American  Exposition  in  Buffalo,  on  September  <j,  1901. 
It  was  in  this  city  that  President  Roosevelt  took  the  oath 
of  office  after  President  McKinley's  death.  It  is  also 
worthy  of  note  that  Buffalo  was  the  home  of  two  of  our 
presidents  —  Fillmore  and  Cleveland. 

The  business  district  of  Buffalo  is  only  a  short  distance 
from  the  harbor.  The  most  important  business  streets  are 
Main  Street  and  Broadway. 

Twenty  miles  north  of  Buffalo  the  Niagara  River 
plunges  over  a  precipice  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  high,  forming  the  world-famous  Niagara  Falls,  The 
width  of  the  river,  the  beauty  of  the  mighty  waters  as 
they  rush  thundering  over  the  edge  of  the  precipice,  the 
foam  and  spray  rising  from  the  foot  of  the  cataract,  all 
combine  to  make  Niagara  Falls  the  greatest  natural  won 
der  on  the  American  continent.  In  the  middle  of  the 
stream  lies  Goat  Island,  which  divides  the  Falls  into  the 
Horseshoe  Falls  on  the  Canadian  side  and  the  American 
Falls  on  the  New  York  side. 

Hardly  less  interesting  than  the  Falls  are  the  power 
plants  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  which  are  making  the 
force  of  Niagara  do  a  mighty  work.  It  has  been  reck 
oned  that  the  volume  of  water  which  passes  over  the  Falls 
is  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  cubic  feet  each 


BUFFALO  225 

second.  Think  of  it!  This  tremendous  rush  of  water,  the 
experts  tell  us,  represents  five  million  horse  power.  To 
make  this  gigantic  power  of  use  to  man,  canals  have  been 
built  above  the  Falls  to  bring  water  from  the  river  to 
the  power  houses  where  its  great  force  turns  huge  water 
wheels  and  produces  electric  power.  Cables  of  copper 
wire  raised  high  in  the  air  carry  this  power  to  all  the 
surrounding  country.  It  runs  many  of  Buffalo's  factories, 
lights  the  city  streets,  and  moves  its  trolley  cars  as  well 
as  those  in  Syracuse,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away. 

Such  then,  with  its  wonderful  power,  its  command  of 
material,  its  beautiful  and  important  location,  is  the 
Buffalo  of  to-day.  The  little  settlement  of  one  hundred 
years  ago  has  become  the  eleventh  city  in  size  in  the 
United  States. 


BUFFALO 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  over  500,000  (506,775). 

Eleventh  city  according  to  population. 

Important  lake  port. 

One  of  the  best  harbors  on  the  Great  Lakes. 

Located  at  the  western  end  of  the  Erie  Canal. 

Great  transfer  point  between  lake  boats  and  canal  boats 

and  railroads. 
Important  railroad  center, 
("enter  for  live-stock  trade. 
Important  center  for. wheat,  lumber,  meat  packing,  and 

the  iron  and  steel  industries. 
Electric  light  and  power  obtained  from  Niagara  Falls. 


226     GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  How  did  it  happen  that  the  people  of  New  York  first 
came  to  settle  west  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  and  where 
were  these  first  settlements  ? 

2.  Tell  about  the  beginning  of  Buffalo,  and  give  its  origi 
nal  name. 

3.  What  was  the  first  route  from  Albany  to  Buffalo,  and 
why  was  it  used  ?  How  was  the  journey  made  between  1811 
and  1825  ? 

4.  Tell  the  story  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  give  its  effect  on 
Buffalo  and  the  West. 

5.  How  did  Buffalo's  location  make  it  one  of  the  great 
centers  of  industry  ? 

6.  What  three  things  are  necessary  to  success  in  manu 
facturing  ? 

7.  How  is   Buffalo   furnished   with   power   for   her   great 
manufacturing  interests  ? 

8.  Where  does  Buffalo  find  a  market  for  her  products  ? 
How  ? 

9.  What  great  steel  companv  is  located  near  this  city  ? 
Why  ? 

10.  Describe  the  wonderful  coke  ovens  and  blast  furnaces 
near  Buffalo. 

11.  Give    some    idea    of    Buffalo's    flour    mills,    slaughter 
houses,   and   lumber  yards,  and   of   her   importance   in  these 
industries. 

12.  What  do  you  know   of  Niagara  Falls  and  the  power 
plants  on  both  sides  of  the  Niagara  Eiver  ? 


SAN  FRANCISCO 

The  United  States  extends  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  and  just  as  New  York  is  our  leading  seaport  on 
the  Atlantic,  so  San  Francisco  is  the  leading  seaport 
on  the  Pacific. 

San  Francisco's  history  is  inseparably  connected  with 
the  development  of  the  resources  of  California.  In  1769 
Spain  sent  an  expedition  overland  from  Mexico  to  colo 
nize  the  Pacific  coast,  and  Don  Gasper  de  Portola,  at  the 
head  of  these  colonists,  was  the  first  white  man  known 
to  have  looked  upon  San  Francisco  Bay. 

Seven  years  later,  in  1776,  the  Franciscan  friars  built 
a  fortified  settlement  on  the  present  site  of  San  Fran 
cisco.  The  Mission  Dolores,  which  is  still  standing,  was 
begun  the  same  year,  and  a  little  village  slowly  grew 
up  around  it. 

At  the  close  of  the  Mexican  War,  in  1848,  California 
was  ceded  to  the  United  States,  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
were  raised  over  the  little  settlement,  whose  name  was 
soon  changed  from  Yerba  Buena  to  San  Francisco. 

In  1848,  too,  came  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California, 
and  San  Francisco  suddenly  grew  from  a  Spanish  village 

227 


228      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

to  a  busy  American  town.  The  population  jumped  from 
800  to  10,000  in  a  single  year.  A  city  of  tents  and 
shanties  quickly  arose  on  the  sand  dunes.  Thousands  of 
people  were  leaving  their  homes  in  the  East  to  seek  a 
fortune  in  the  gold  fields.  Many  came  by  water,  either 
rounding  Cape  Horn  or  else  traveling  by  boat  to  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  crossing  on  foot,  and  reembarking 
on  the  Pacific  coast.  Others  came  overland  in  large 
canvas-covered  wagons  called  prairie  schooners. 

These  newcomers  were  men  of  all  classes  —  ministers, 
lawyers,  farmers,  laborers.  Some  were  educated,  others 
were  ignorant.  While  most  of  them  were  industrious  and 
law-abiding,  a  considerable  number  were  desperate  and 
lawless  men.  These  last  caused  much  trouble.  Gambling, 
murders,  and  crimes  of  all  kinds  were  alarmingly  common, 
and  the  city  government  was  powerless  to  punish  the 
lawbreakers.  Finally,  the  better  class  of  citizens  formed 
a  vigilance  committee,  which  hung  four  criminals  and 
punished  many  in  other  ways  until  law  and  order  were 
established. 

San  Francisco  has  been  called  the  "  child  of  the  mines.'' 
It  was  the  discovery  of  gold  that  first  made  it  the  leading 
city  of  the  Pacific  coast.  From  that  day  the  production  of 
gold  has  been  steadily  maintained.  Nearly  |20,000,000 
worth  is  mined  in  the  state  of  California  each  year,  with 
a  total  production  of  over  $1,500,000,000.  Later  the  silver 
mines  in  Nevada  were  discovered  and  developed,  and  their 
immense  output  brought  increased  wealth  to  San  Francisco. 

As  time  went  on,  however,  people  began  to  see  that 
California's  real  wealth  lay  not  so  much  in  her  mines 
as  in  her  fertile  farm  lands.  These,  combined  with  the 


SAX  FRANCISCO  229 

wonderful  climate,  have  made  California  a  leading  agri 
cultural  state. 

The  great  central  valley  of  California,  about  400  miles 
long  and  50  miles  wide,  lies  between  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains  and  the  Coast  Ranges.  Its  farms,  orchards, 
orange  groves,  and  vineyards  produce  immense  quantities 


AN  ORANGE  GROVE 


of  grain,  and  of  grapes,  and  other  fruits.  Large  numbers 
of  cattle  and  sheep  are  raised.  In  the  southern  counties 
many  tropical  fruits  are  grown  successfully.  Irrigated 
groves  of  orange,  lemon,  and  olive  trees  cover  thousands 
of  acres.  Other  important  crops  are  English  walnuts, 
almonds,  prunes,  and  figs.  Copper,  silver,  oil,  quicksilver, 
and  salt  are  also  valuable  products,  while  the  forest-covered 


230      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

mountains  supply  excellent  lumber.  Such  is  tiie  wealth  of 
California's  natural  resources,  and  San  Francisco  is  the 
great  port  and  market  of  this  rich  back  country. 

As  the  Sacramento  River  flows  into  San  Francisco  Bay 
from  the  north  and  the  San  Joaquin  from  the  south,  the 


PICKING  GRAPES 

two  offer  cheap  transportation  up  and  down  their  valleys, 
being  navigable  to  river  steamers  for  over  200  miles. 

The  great  bay  of  San  Francisco  is  the  largest  land 
locked  harbor  in  the  world.  Here  the  navies  of  all  the 
nations  could  ride  at  anchor  side  by  side  in  safety. 
Though  65  miles  long  and  from  4  to  10  miles  wide,  the 
bay  is  completely  sheltered  from  dangerous  winds  and 
storms.  It  is  connected  with  the  Pacific  Ocean  bv  a 


SAX  FEANCISCO 


231 


strait  called    the   Golden    Gate,   which    is  2|  miles    long 
and    over    a   mile   wide. 

Such  advantages  have  made  San  Francisco  a  great 
commercial  and  financial  center.  Ships  from  San  Fran 
cisco  carry  the  products  of  California  westward  to  all  the 


THE  GOLDEN  GATE 

countries   bordering   on   the   Pacific,   while  others   sail   to 
the  Atlantic  seaports  of  America  and  Europe. 

The  outgoing  steamers  are  loaded  with  wheat,  cotton, 
canned  goods,  oil,  barley,  prunes,  flour,  dried  '  fruits, 
leather,  machinery,  lumber,  and  iron  manufactures.  In 
coming  steamers  bring  raw  silk,  coffee,  tea,  copra,  nitrate 
of  soda,  tin  ingots,  sugar,  rice,  cigars,  coal,  burlap,  vanilla 
beans,  cheese,  and  manila  hemp. 


THE   SITE  OF  SAN   FKANCISCO 

232 


SAN  FRANCISCO 


233 


Already  the  foreign  commerce  of  San  Francisco  amounts 
to  more  than  $150,000,000  annually,  and  with  the  increas 
ing  trade  of  Japan  and  China  and  the  shortened  route  to 
the  Atlantic  through  the  Panama  Canal,  the  future  of  its 
foreign  trade  cannot  be  estimated. 

In  addition  to  her  foreign  trade,  San  Francisco  has 
many  growing  industries  at  home.  Printing  and  publish 
ing,  slaughtering  and  meat  packing,  are  among  the  most 
important.  The 
canning  and  pre 
serving  of  fruits 
and  vegetables  is 
a  leading  industry 
of  the  city.  The 
California  Fruit 
C  aimers  Associa 
tion  employs  many 
thousands  of  peo 
ple  during  the  fruit 
season  and  is  the 
largest  fruit-and- 

vegetable  canning  company  in  the  world.  It  operates  thirty 
branches  throughout  the  state,  and  its  products  are  sent  to 
all  parts  of  the  globe. 

Though  iron  has  to  be  imported,  —  there  being  little 
mined  in  California,  —  the  city  does  a  thriving  iron  busi 
ness.  In  the  early  days  there  was  need  of  mining 
machinery  in  the  West,  and  San  Francisco  at  that  time 
began  manufacturing  it.  She  also  has  one  of  the  greatest 
shipbuilding  plants  in  the  United  States.  The  famous 
battleship  Oregon,  the  Olympic,  the  Wisconsin,  the  Oliio, 

16 


A   FLOWER  MARKET 


SCALE  OF  MILES 


THE  CITY  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO 
234 


SAN  FEANCISCO 


235 


and  other  ships  of  the  United  States  Navy  were  built  in 
San  Francisco. 

In  1906  a  severe  earthquake  shook  San  Francisco, 
wrecking  many  buildings.  Fire  broke  out  in  twenty 
places,  and  as  the  earthquake  had  broken  the  city's  water 
mains,  the  fire  fighters  had  to  pump  salt  water  from  the 


ON  SAN  FRANCISCO'S  WATER  FRONT 

bay  and  use  dynamite  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  flames. 
During  the  three  days  of  the  fire,  four  square  miles  were 
laid  in  ruins. 

Because  of  occasional  slight  shocks  in  former  years,  the 
inhabitants  had  built  their  city  of  Avood,  thinking  it  safer 
than  brick  or  stone.  They  had  not  thought  of  the  greater 
danger  of  fire.  This  earthquake  taught  them  a  lesson. 


236      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


The  few  skyscrapers  in  the  city  had  stood  the  shock  re 
markably  well,  and  profiting  by  this  experience  thousands 
of  modern  structures  —  steel,  brick,  and  reenforced  con 
crete —  were  built  to  replace  the  old  wooden  buildings. 
A  far  more  modern  and  beautiful  city  has  arisen  from 

the  ashes  of  the  ruins. 
The  city  occupies 
46 1  square  miles  at 
the  end  of  the  south 
ern  peninsula  which 
lies  between  San  Fran 
cisco  Bay  and  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  The 
site  of  the  city  is 
hilly,  especially  in  the 
northern  and  western 
parts.  Market  Street, 
120  feet  wide  and 
the  chief  business 
thoroughfare,  extends 
southwest  from  the 
water  front  and  di 
vides  the  city  into  two 
parts.  The  southern 

district  contains  many  manufacturing  plants  and  the 
homes  of  the  laboring  people.  The  streets  here  are  level. 
North  of  Market  Street  lie  three  high  hills  —  Telegraph 
Hill,  Nob  Hill,  and  Russian  Hill.  In  this  half  of  the  city 
are  the  finest  residences,  Nob  Hill  having  been  given  its 
name  in  the  early  days  when  the  mining  millionaires 
built  their  homes  upon  it. 


CHINATOWN 


SAN  FRANCISCO 


237 


The  main  business  section  is  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  city,  facing  the  harbor,  and  is  on  level  ground.  It 
contains  hundreds  of  new  office  buildings,  many  of  them 
from  eight  to  twenty  or  more  stories  high.  Fine  modern 
hotels  and  beautiful  banks  add  much  to  the  beauty  of  this 

part  of  San  Fran-     ___^ 

cisco.  The  most 
important  public 
buildings  are  the 
United  States  mint 
and  the  post  office, 
which  escaped  the 
flames  in  1906,  the 
customhouse,  the 
Hall  of  Justice, 
the  new  Audito 
rium,  and  the  city 
hall.  These  last 
two  face  the  Civic 
Center,  which  is 
being  created  at 
a  cost  of  nearly 
117,000,000. 

At   the   foot    of 
Telegraph    Hill    is 

the  largest  Chinese  quarter  in  the  United  States.  It  was 
completely  destroyed  during  the  fire,  but  is  now  rebuilt 
and  much  improved.  Its  temples,  joss  houses,  and  theaters, 
its  markets,  bazaars,  and  restaurants,  with  their  strange 
life  and  customs  and  their  oriental  architecture,  attract 
crowds  of  visitors.  There  are  now  thousands  of  Chinese 


THE  UNION  FERRY  BUILDING- 


238      GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

in  San  Francisco,  but  their  number  has  been  steadily  de 
creasing  since  the  Exclusion  Act  was  passed,  prohibiting 
Chinese  laborers  from  entering  this  country.  It  was 
thought  necessary  to  have  this  law  in  order  to  protect 
the  American  workingman  on  the  Pacific  coast,  as  the 


FISHERMAN'S  WHARF 

Chinese  laborers  who  had  already  been  admitted  were 
working  for  wages  upon  which  no  white  man  could  live. 

At  the  foot  of  Market  Street,  on  the  water  front, 
stands  the  Union  Ferry  Building,  a  large  stone  structure 
with  a  high  clock  tower. 

Only  one  of  the  cross-continent  railroads  —  a  branch  of 
the  Southern  Pacific  —  lands  its  passengers  in  the  city  of 
San  Francisco.  All  the  other  roads,  which  include  the 


SAX  FRANCISCO 


239 


main  line  of  the  Southern  Pacific,  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe,  the  Union  Pacific,  and  the  Western  Pacific, 
terminate  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  bay  and  send  the 
travelers  to  San  Francisco  by  ferry.  In  consequence,  San 
Francisco  has  developed  the  best  ferry  service  in  the 
world,  all  lines  meeting  at  the  Union  Ferry  Building. 


MT.  TAMALPAIS  FROM  NOB  HILL 

North  and  south  of  the  Union  Ferry  Building  stretch 
eight  miles  of  wharves  and  docks  and  many  factories, 
lumber  yards,  and  warehouses.  At  the  docks,  ships  are 
being  loaded  and  unloaded  continually. 

In  March  and  April  each  year  a  fleet  of  forty  or  fifty 
vessels  starts  out  for  the  Alaskan  fisheries.  San  Francisco  is 
the  leading  salmon  port  of  the  United  States,  distributing 


240      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  salmon  yearly.  Fisherman's 
Wharf,  at  the  northern  end  of  the  water  front,  is  full 
of  interest,  with  its  brown,  weather-beaten  fishermen  and 
their  odd  fishing  boats.  To  the  south  of  the  Union  Ferry 
Building  is  "  Man-of-war  Row,"  where  United  States  and 
foreign  battleships  ride  at  anchor. 


PRESIDIO  TERRACE 


The  cities  of  Alameda,  Oakland,  Richmond,  and  Berke 
ley  are  directly  across  the  bay  from  San  Francisco,  on  the 
east  shore.  Like  New  York,  San  Francisco  is  the  center 
of  a  large  metropolitan  district,  and  the  residents  of  these 
neighboring  cities  daily  travel  to  their  work  in  San  Fran 
cisco  on  the  ferries.  For  several  years  there  has  been  talk 
of  uniting  these  cities  with  San  Francisco.  If  this  plan  were 


SAN   FRANCISCO 


241 


carried  out,  it  would  nearly  double  San  Francisco's  present 
population,  which  is  over  500,000. 

The  University  of  California,  in  Berkeley,  has  nearly 
7000  students,  tuition  being  free  to  residents  of  Cali 
fornia.  The  Leland  Stanford  University,  30  miles  from 
San  Francisco,  is  another  noted  institution  in  the  state. 


THE  TONYEll  OF  JEWELS  OF  THE  PANAMA-PACIFIC  EXPOSITION 

To  the  north  of  the  Golden  Gate  is  Mt.  Tamalpais, 
2592  feet  high,  overlooking  the  bay  and  San  Francisco. 
To  the  south  is  the  Presidio,  the  United  States  military 
reservation,  covering  1542  acfes.  Here  are  the  harbor 
fortifications  and  the  headquarters  of  the  western  division 
of  the  United  States  Army.  Fronting  on  the  ocean  beach 


242      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


IN  GOLDEN  GATE  PARK 


and  extending  east 
ward  for  4  miles  is 
Golden  Gate  Park, 
the  largest  of  San 
Francisco's  many 
parks  and  squares. 
Occupying  part 
of  the  Presidio  and 
facing  the  water  at 
the  northern  end 
of  the  city  is  the 
site  of  the  Panama- 
Pacific  International  Exposition,  held  in  1915  to  celebrate 
the  completion  of 
the  Panama  Canal. 
That  the  citizens  of 
San  Francisco  look 
to  the  future  was 
shown  at  a  gather 
ing  of  business  men 
in  1910,  when  more 
than  $4,000,000  was 
raised  in  two  hours 
for  this  Panama  ex 
position.  The  cli 
mate  of  the  city 
(averaging  more 
than  50  degrees  in 
winter  and  less  than 
60  degrees  in  sum- 

IN  FRONT  OF  THE  EXPOSITION'S  PALACE 

mer),   the   beauties  OF  FINE  ARTS 


SAN  FRANCISCO  243 

and  wonders  of  California,  the  romantic  history  of  the  city, 
exhibits  from  many  parts  of  the  world  —  all  these,  the  citi 
zens  knew,  would  attract  thousands  of  visitors  from  afar 
and  make  known  to  the  world  the  advantages  and  pros 
perity  of  the  Far  West  and  its  chief  city,  San  Francisco. 


SAN  FRANCISCO 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  over  500,000  (506,676). 

Twelfth  city  according  to  population. 

Second  largest  city  of  the  Western  States. 

One  of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world. 

The  natural  shipping  point  for  the  products  of  the  rich 

state  of  California. 
Chief  center  for  the  trade  of  the  United  States  with  the 

Orient. 

Leads  all  American  cities  in  the  shipment  of  wheat. 
Has  great  canning  and  preserving  industries. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  "Find  by  measurements  on  a  map  of  the  United  States 
the  distance   of   San   Francisco   from    New   York    City    in    a 
direct  line. 

2.  Find  by  consulting  time  tables  or  by  inquiry  of  some 
railroad  official  how  long  it  would  take  to  make  the  journey 
from  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  and  what  railroad  system 
might  be  used.     Answer  this  question,  applying   it  to  your 
own  city. 

3.  Who  founded  San  Francisco,  and  what  was  it  first  called  ? 

4.  When  and  how  did  San  Francisco  become  an  American 
possession  ? 


244      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

5.  Of  what  was  the  great  wealth  of  California  supposed 
to  consist  at  first?    What  is  the  great  wealth  of  the  state 
considered  to  be  to-day  ? 

6.  What  are  the  chief  exports  of  the  city,  and  to  what 
countries  are  they  sent? 

7.  What  are  the  chief  imports  of  the  city  ? 

8.  What  are  the  great  advantages  of  San  Francisco  Bay  ? 

9.  When  did  the  great  fire  at  San  Francisco  occur,  and 
what  damage  was  done  ? 

10.  What  benefit  has  San  Francisco  derived  from  the  com 
pletion  of  the  Panama  Canal? 

11.  Why    is    the    ferry    system    of     San     Francisco    so 
important  ? 

12.  Name  four  cities  across  the  bay  from  San  Francisco, 
and  tell  how  they  are  related  to  that  city. 

13.  Tell    something    of    the    fishing     industry     of     San 
Francisco. 

14.  Does  the  name  "  Golden  Gate "  seem  appropriate  to 
you?     Why? 

15.  Name  the  chief  industries  of  San  Francisco. 

16.  Describe  the  location  of  the  city. 

17.  Find  out  how  many  days'  journey  by  steamship  are 
the  following  places  from  San  Francisco: 

Honolulu  Shanghai 

Manila  Yokohama 

Sydney  Buenos  Aires 


NEW  ORLEANS 

The  story  of  New  Orleans,  the  Crescent  City,  reads  like 
a  wonderful  romance  or  a  tale  from  the  Arabian  Nights. 
As  in  a  moving  picture,  one  can  see  men  making  a  clear 
ing  along  the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  Riv^r,  one 
hundred  and  ten  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  is  171$.  The 
French  Canadian  Bienville  has  been  made  governor  of  the 
great  tract  of  land  called  Louisiana,  and  he  has  decided 
to  found  a  settlement  near  the  river's  mouth. 

At  the  end  of  three  years  the  little  French  town,  named 
for  the  duke  of  Orleans,  stands  peacefully  on  the  banks 
of  the  great  Mississippi,  its  people  buying,  selling,  fight 
ing  duels,  and  steadily  thriving  until  the  close  of  the 
French  and  Indian  War.  Then  France  cedes  Louisiana 
to  Spain,  and  for  some  years  New  Orleans  is  under 
Spanish  rule.  In  1800,  however,  Spain  cedes  Louisiana 
back  to  France,  and  once  more  New  Orleans  has  a  French 
commissioner  and  is  a  French  possession. 

Again  the  scene  changes.  Energetic,  sturdy  men  sail 
down  the  river,  land  in  the  quaint  little  town,  and  march 
to  the  Cabildo,  or  Government  Hall,  where  they  receive 
the  keys  of  the  town.  Because  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase, 

245 


246      GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


New  Orleans  with  all  its  inhabitants  —  Spanish,  French, 
Italians,  and  Jews  —  is  being  given  over  to  the  United 
States.  The  French  flag  is  taken  down,  and  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  are  unfurled  over  what  was,  and  is  to-day,  the 
least  American  of  all  American  cities. 

As  the  history  of  New  Orleans  unrolls,  one  follows  the 
thrilling  scenes   of   a  great   battle.    It   is  in  the   War  of 

1812,  and  on  the  last 
day  of  December,  1814, 
the  British  begin  an  at- 

O 

tack  on  the  city,  with 
an  army  of  10,000 
trained  soldiers.  They 
mean  to  capture  New 
Orleans  and  gain  con 
trol  of  Louisiana  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi. 
Andrew  Jackson  com 
mands  the  American 
forces,  made  up  of  reg 
ulars,  militia,  pirates, 
negroes,  and  volunteers, 
numbering  only  about 
half  the  attacking  British 

army.  Day  after  day  goes  by  with  no  great  victory  gained 
on  either  side,  until  Sunday,  January  8,  dawns.  With  the 
daylight,  the  British  commence  a  furious  assault.  But 
Jackson  and  his  men  are  ready  for  them.  Rushing  back 
and  forth  along  his  line  of  defense,  the  commander  cries 
out,  "  Stand  by  your  guns  !  "  "  See  that  every  shot  tells  !  " 
"'-Let 's  finish  the  business  to-day !  "  Many  of  Jackson's 


WHERE  NEW  ORLEANS  STANDS 


NEW  CHILEANS 


247 


men  are  sharpshooters.  Time  and  again  they  aim  and  fire, 
and  time  and  again  the  enemy  advance,  fall  back,  rally, 
and  try  to  advance  once  more.  But  in  three  short  hours 
the  British  leader  and  more  than  2500  men  have  dropped, 
hundreds  shot  between  the  eyes.  It  is  no  use !  In  confu 
sion  the  British  turn  and  flee.  Jackson  has  saved  the  city. 


THE  CABILDO 

In  the  Civil  War  the  turn  of  affairs  is  different.  Louis 
iana  was  one  of  the  seven  states  to  secede  from  the  Union 
in  1860  and  form  themselves  into  the  Confederate  States 
of  America.  Of  course  this  made  New  Orleans  a  Con 
federate  city.  Naturally,  the  north  wanted  to  capture 
New  Orleans  in  order  to  control  the  mouth  of  the 


248      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Mississippi  River.  This  time  the  attacking  force  is  a 
Union  fleet,  and  the  defenders  of  the  city  are  stanch 
Confederates  who  have  done  all  in  their  power  to  prevent 
the  approach  of  the  Northerners.  Across  the  river,  near 
its  mouth,  two  great  cables  have  been  stretched,  and  be 
tween  the  cables  and  the  city  are  a  Confederate  fleet  and 
two  forts,  one  on  each  side  of  the  river. 

The  Union  fleet  under  David  Farragut  appears,  opens 
fire  on  the  forts,  and  keeps  up  the  attack  for  six  days 
and  nights.  Still  the  forts  hold  out.  Then  Farragut  de 
cides  that  since  he  cannot  take  the  forts  lie  will  run 
his  ships  past  them.  But  there  are  the  cables  blocking  his 
way.  The  steamer  Itasca  undertakes  to  break  them  and 
rushes  upon  them  under  a  raking  lire  from  both  forts. 
The  cables  snap.  That  night  the  Union  ships,  in  single 
file,  start  up  the  river.  At  last  the  forts  are  passed  and 
the  Confederate  ships  overcome,  but  not  the  spirit  of  the 
people  of  New  Orleans.  They  fight  to  the  finish  as  best 
they  can.  Cotton  bales  are  piled  on  rafts,  set  afire,  and 
floated  downstream  among  the  Union  ships.  Still  the 
ships  come  on.  At  least  the  Northerners  shall  not  take 
the  valuable  stores  of  cotton,  sugar,  and  molasses !  So 
the  cotton  ships  are  fired,  and  hogsheads  of  molasses  and 
barrels  of  sugar  are  hurriedly  destroyed.  When  the  Union 
forces  land  and  take  possession,  the  people  of  New  Orleans, 
though  heartbroken,  know  that  they  have  done  their  best. 

Then  comes  peace.  The  war  is  over,  and  New  Orleans 
is  once  more  a  city  of  the  United  States. 

To-da}*  New  Orleans  presents  the  unusual  combination 
of  an  old  city,  full  of  historic  interest,  and  a  splendid  new 
city,  a  place  of  industry,  progress,  and  opportunity. 


NEW  ORLEANS  249 

The  successful  building  of  a  great  city  on  the  site  of 
New  Orleans  is  a  triumph  of  engineering  skill.  As  the 
city  lies  below  the  high-water  mark  of  the  Mississippi,  it 
was  necessary  to  build  great  banks  of  earth  to  hold  back 
the  water  in  the  flood  season.  These  levees,  as  they  are 
called,  form  the  water  front  of  the  city. 

In  the  early  days  the  only  drinking-water  in  New 
Orleans  was  rain  water  caught  from  the  roofs  and  stored  in 
cisterns.  Imagine  a  city  without  a  single  cellar.  Then  not 
even  a  grave  could  be  dug  in  the  marshy  soil.  The  ceme 
teries  were  all  aboveground.  In  some  cemeteries  there 
were  tiers  of  little  vaults,  one  above  the  other,  in  which 
the  dead  were  laid.  In  others,  magnificent  tombs  provided 
resting  places  for  the  wealthy.  Such  was  old  New  Orleans. 
To-day  modern  sewers  and  huge  steam  pumps  draw  off 
the  sewage  and  excess  water,  discharging  them  into  the 
river,  while  a  splendid  water  system  filters  water  taken 
from  higher  up  the  river,  giving  a  supply  as  pure  as  that 
enjoyed  by  any  city  in  our  land.  The  marshes  have  been 
drained  by  the  construction  of  canals,  which  are  used  as 
highways  for  bringing  raw  materials  from  the  surrounding 
country  to  the  factories  of  New  Orleans.  Many  of  these 
canals  extend  for  miles  into  the  interior  of  the  state 
of  Louisiana. 

The  city  proper  covers  nearly  two  hundred  square  miles 
and  is  laid  out  in  beautiful  streets,  parks,  and  driveways, 
crossed  in  many  places  by  picturesque  waterways.  Here 
are  splendid  trees,  belonging  both  to  the  temperate  zone 
and  to  the  tropics.  Palms  and  cypresses  abound.  In  the 
City  Park  is  one  of  the  finest  groves  of  live  oaks  in  the 
world.  Audubon  Park,  named  for  the  great  lover  of  birds, 

17 


PONTCHARTRA   IN 


THE  CITY  OF  NEW  ORLEANS 


250 


NEW  OBLEANS 


251 


who  was  born  near  this  city,  is  another  of  the  beautiful 
parks  of  New  Orleans. 

Canal  Street  divides  New  Orleans  into  two  sections, 
with  the  Old  Town,  or  French  Quarter,  on  one  side  and  the 
New  Town,  or  American  Quarter,  on  the  other.  This 
is  the  main  thoroughfare  of  the  city.  It  is  a  wide  street, 


CANAL  STREET 

well-kept  and  busy.  Here  are  many  of  the  great  retail 
stores,  and  to  this  street  comes  every  car  line.  From 
Canal  Street  one  may  take  a  car  to  any  section  of  the 
city,  and  a  car  taken  in  any  part  of  New  Orleans  will 
sooner  or  later  bring  one  to  Canal  Street.  On  this  street 
are  handsome  stores,  club  buildings,  hotels,  railroad  sta 
tions,  and  the  United  States  customhouse.  The  upper 
end  of  the  street  is  a  beautiful  residence  section,  whose 


252      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

houses  are  surrounded  by  spacious  lawns  and  fine  trees. 
Almost  all  of  these  houses  have  wide  galleries,  or  verandas, 
upon  which  their  owners  may  sit  and  enjoy,  all  the  year 
round,  the  balmy  air  of  the  southern  climate.  Very  sel 
dom  does  the  temperature  drop  below  30  degrees  Fahren 
heit.  Usually  it  is  between  50  and  60  degrees,  and  even 


A  CREOLE  COURTYARD 

in  summer  it  varies  only  between  75  and  90  degrees.  New 
Orleans  is  really  cooler  in  summer  than  some  of  our 
northern  cities,  being  so  surrounded  by  river  and  lakes. 

The  old  New  Orleans  lies  northeast  of  Canal  Street. 
Here  the  early  settlers  established  their  homes,  and  in 
this  French  Quarter  the  French  language  is  still  in  com 
mon  use,  and  many  old  French  customs  are  observed. 


NEW  ORLEANS 


253 


The  streets,  many  of  which  bear  French  names,  are  narrow 
and  roughly  paved  and  are  closely  built  up  with  old- 
fashioned  brick  buildings  ornamented  with  iron  verandas. 
Open  gateways  in  the  front  of  many  a  gloomy-looking 
house  give  us  a  glimpse  of  attractive  interior  courts,  gay 
with  flowers  and  splashing  fountains.  Many  other  courts, 


JACKSON  SQUARE  AND  THE  CATHEDRAL  OF  ST.  LOUIS 

alas,  are  deserted  or  neglected,  for  this  is  no  longer  the 
fashionable  section  of  New  Orleans.  Most  of  the  city's 
Creole  population  lives  in  the  French  Quarter.  These 
people  are  the  descendants  of  the  early  French  and 
Spanish  inhabitants. 

In  the  French  Quarter  is  Jackson  Square,  which  was  the 
center  of  governmental  life  in  the  early  years  of  the  city. 


254      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Here  are  the  Cabildo  —  the  old  Spanish  court  building 

and  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Louis,  an  old  and  beautiful  church. 
On  Chartres  Street  is  the  Archiepiscopal  Palace,  said  to 
be  the  oldest  public  building  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
The  French  Market  is  one  of  the  world's  famous  market 
places.  In  the  long  low  buildings  occupying  four  city 
blocks  may  be  found  fruits,  vegetables,  meats,  fish,  and 


BAYOU  ST.  JOHN 

game  in  wonderful  variety.  To  the  Oyster  Lugger  Land 
ing  come  the  oyster  boats,  bringing  from  the  bays  of  the 
Gulf  coast  some  of  the  finest  oysters  in  America.  Other 
points  of  interest  in  the  French  Quarter  are  the  Royal 
Hotel,  formerly  known  as  the  St.  Louis  Hotel;  the 
United  States  mint;  the  Soldiers'  Home,  whose  gardens 
are  noted  for  their  beauty ;  Bayou  St.  John,  a  picturesque 
waterway;  and  Jackson  Barracks. 


NEW  ORLEANS 


255 


Two  other  places  must  not  be  slighted.  In  the  Ursuline 
convent  stands  a  statue  before  which,  on  January  8,  1815, 
the  nuns  prayed  for  the  success  of  the  Americans  in 
the  battle  of  New  Orleans.  Then  there  is  St.  Roch's 
Shrine,  a  chapel  built  by  Father  Thevis.  Each  stone  in  it 
was  placed  by  his 
own  hands,  in  ful 
fillment  of  a  vow 
that  "  if  none  of  his 
parishioners  should 
die  of  an  epidemic, 
he  would,  stone  by 
stone,  build  a  chapel 
in  thanksgiving  to 
God."  This  ancient 
shrine  is  visited  by 
thousands  of  people 
every  year. 

To  the  southwest 
of  Canal  Street  is 
the  American  Quar 
ter.  This  was  origi 
nally  a  tract  of  land, 
known  as  the  Terre 

Commune,  reserved  by  the  French  government  for  public 
use.  But  after  a  while  the  land  was  laid  out  in  streets. 
Soon  the  merchants  of  this  section  began  to  trade  with 
the  North  and  West.  The  river  boats  landed  in  front  of 
the  Faubourg  St.  Marie,  as  this  part  of  the  city  was  then 
called,  bringing  tobacco,  cotton,  pork,  beef,  corn,  flour, 
and  fabrics.  Commercial  buildings  sprang  up,  and  as  the 


ST.  KOCH'S  CHAPEL 


256      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

trade   was   distinctly  American,  the   district   came   to   be 
known  as  the  American  Quarter. 

In  the  days  when  the  French  Quarter  was  all  there  was 
of  New  Orleans,  the  city  was  in  the  shape  of  a  half  moon 
or  crescent.  The  newer  part  of  the  city  follows  the  course 


ST.   CHARLES  AVENUE 

of  the  river  and  makes  the  New  Orleans  of  to-day  more 
like  a  letter  S. 

St.  Charles  Avenue  is  the  most  beautiful  residential 
street  in  the  American  Quarter.  It  is  a  wide  avenue  with 
driveways  on  either  side  of  a  grassy  parkway.  Rows  of 
trees,  many  of  them  stately  palms,  border  the  avenue. 
Here  are  splendid  homes,  each  with  its  flower  beds  and 
gardens  of  tropical  plants. 


NEW  ORLEANS  257 

Churches  and  charitable  institutions  abound  in  New 
Orleans.  One  of  the  latter,  Touro  Infirmary,  covers  an 
entire  city  block.  This  infirmary  was  endowed  by  Judah 
Touro,  a  Jew,  and  is  supported  by  Jews,  but  receives  suf 
ferers  of  any  creed.  In  its  courtyard  is  a  fountain  erected 
by  the  Hebrew  children  of  New  Orleans. 

Tulane  University  is  the  most  renowned  educational 
institution  in  the  city,  and  is  noted  for  its  medical  and 
engineering  departments.  On  Washington  Avenue  is  the 
H.  Sophie  Newcomb  Memorial  College  for  young  women, 
which  is  the  women's  department  of  Tulane  University. 

The  great  hotels  and  many  restaurants  of  the  city  are 
noted  throughout  the  United  States.  The  Creole  cooks 
have  made  famous  such  dishes  as  chicken  gumbo,  chicken 
a  la  Creole,  and  pompano. 

The  country  around  New  Orleans  is  one  of  the  richest 
in  the  world.  Within  a  few  hours'  ride  of  the  city  are 
great  fields  of  cotton,  sugar,  and  rice.  Two  hundred  miles 
from  the  city  are  immense  deposits  of  sulphur  and  salt. 
Oil  fields  are  within  easy  reach,  and  coal  is  brought  by 
water  from  the  mines  of  Alabama  and  even  from  Penn 
sylvania.  Great  forests  to  the  north  furnish  lumber  which 
is  transported  by  water  to  the  city,  making  New  Orleans 
one  of  the  foremost  ports  in  lumber  exportation. 

The  immense  sugar-cane  fields  of  the  South  look  very 
much  like  the  cornfields  of  the  more  northern  states. 
Negroes  cut  the  cane  close  to  the  ground,  as  the  lower  part 
of  the  stalk  has  the  most  sugar.  After  the  leaves  and 
tops  have  been  trimmed  off,  the  stalks  are  shipped  to  the 
presses,  cut  into  small  pieces,  and  crushed  between  heavy 
rollers.  The  juice  is  strained,  boiled,  and  worked  over  to 


258      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

remove  the  impurities,  and  then,  in  a  brownish  mass  called 
raw  sugar,  is  sent  to  great  refineries  to  be  made  by  more 
boiling  and  other  processes  into  the  white  sugar  we  use 
daily.  This  sugar  industry  is  very  important,  as  figures 
show  that  each  American,  both  grown-ups  and  children, 


A  SUGAR-CANE  FIELD 

consumes   an   average   of  more    than   seventy   pounds   of 
sugar  a  year. 

Away  down  South  is  the  land  of  cotton  as  well  as  the 
land  of  sugar,  and  there  is  no  more  beautiful  sight  than  a 
field  white  with  the  opening  bolls  of  the  cotton  plant. 
Between  the  long  white  rows  pass  the  picturesque  negroes 
with  their  big  baskets  into  which  they  put  the  soft  fleecy 
cotton  as  they  pick  it  from  the  bolls.  The  raw  cotton  is 


NEW  ORLEANS 


259 


then  sent  to  the  cot- 
ton  gin,  where  the 
seeds  are  taken  out 
to  be  made  into  cot 
tonseed  oil.  The  cot 
ton  itself  is  shipped 
to  factories  Avhere  it 
is  made  into  thread 
and  cotton  cloth  of 
all  kinds.  In  addi 
tion  to  the  immense 
quantities  sent  to 
the  mills  in  various 
parts  of  the  United 
States,  New  Orleans 
ships  to  Europe  each 
year  over  $100,000,- 
000  worth.  When 
the  cotton  reaches 
the  city  it  is  in  the 
form  of  bales  covered 
with  coarse  cloth 
and  bound  with  iron 
bands.  The  great 
steamers  waiting  at 
the  dock  must  fill 
their  holds  to  the 
best  advantage  in 
order  that  they  may 
carry  as  large  an 
amount  as  possible 


260      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

on  each  voyage.  The  cotton  as  it  comes  from  the  planta 
tion  presses  occupies  too  much  space.  It  is  interesting  to 
stand  near  the  steamship  landings  and  see  the  workmen 
cast  off  the  iron  bands  and  place  the  bales  between  the 
powerful  jaws  of  huge  presses  which  seem,  almost  without 


A  BANANA  CONVEYOR 

effort,  to  close  down  upon  the  mass  of  fleecy  whiteness  and 
cause  it  to  shrink  from  four  feet  to  about  one  foot  in 
thickness.  While  the  cotton  is  still  under  pressure,  iron 
bands  are  once  more  placed  upon  it,  and  the  bale  is  then 
taken  from  the  press.  After  this  process  four  bales  can  be 
loaded  on  the  steamer  in  the  space  which  one  plantation 
bale  would  have  occupied. 


NEW  ORLEANS  261 

The  location  of  New  Orleans  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi  and  close  enough  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  be 
called  a  Gulf  port  makes  it  naturally  the  great  port  of 
exchange  of  all  the  products  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  the 
islands  of  the  Gulf,  and  the  countries  on  the  north  coast 
of  South  America.  It  is  the  second  largest  export  port  in 
America  and  is  the  world's  greatest  export  market  for 
cotton.  Oysters  and  fish  in  abundance  are  brought  to 
the  city  from  the  Gulf,  making  New  Orleans  one  of  the 
largest  fish-and-oyster  markets  in  the  United  States.  More 
bananas  arrive  at  New  Orleans  than  at  any  other  port 
in  the  world.  The  great  bunches  of  fruit  are  unloaded 
by  machinery,  placed  upon  specially  designed  cars,  and 
sent  by  the  fastest  trains  to  the  various  parts  of  the 
United  States.  With  the  sugar-producing  districts  so 
near,  New  Orleans  is,  of  course,  one  of  our  country's  chief 
sugar  markets.  The  largest  sugar  refinery  in  the  world  is 
located  here. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  water  front,  but  this 
important  and  interesting  part  of  the  city  deserves  more 
attention.  For  fifteen  miles  along  the  river,  the  port  of  this 
great  city  stretches  in  an  almost  unbroken  line  of  wharves 
and  steel  sheds.  The  steamboat  landings  are  near  the  foot 
of  Canal  Street,  arid  here  may  be  seen  the  river  packets 
from  Northern  cities  and  the  little  stern-wheelers  which 
run  up  Red  River.  Above  is  the  flatboat  landing,  and 
further  on  still  are  the  tropical-fruit  wharves  and  miles  of 
wharves  for  foreign  shipping. 

Just  below  Canal  Street  are  the  sugar  sheds,  where 
barrels  and  hogsheads  of  sugar  and  molasses  cover  blocks 
and  blocks.  At  Julia  Street  are  huge  coffee  sheds  where 


262      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


more  than  80,000 
bags  of  coffee,  each 
bag  holding  about 
138  pounds,  can  be 
stored  in  the  large 
steel  warehouses. 
At  Louisiana  Ave 
nue  are  the  huge 
Stuyvesant  Docks, 
which  cover  2000 
feet  of  river  front 
age.  One  of  the 
big  elevators  here 
will  hold  1,500,000 
bushels  of  grain, 
another  1,000,000 
bushels.  Each  one 
can  unload  250 
cars  a  day  and  de 
liver  freight  to  4 
steamships  at  the 
same  time. 

While  the  peo 
ple  of  this  inter 
esting  Southern 
city  are  great 
workers,  they  are 
quite  as  fond  of 
play  as  of  work. 
Their  love  of  music 
is  shown  by  their 


NEW  ORLEANS  263 

fine  opera  house,  where  celebrated  French  operas  are  given. 
Because  of  its  gayety,  which  attracts  many  visitors,  espe 
cially  in  winter,  New  Orleans  has  been  called  the  Winter 
Capital  of  America. 

The  city's  great  holiday  is  the  Mardi  Gras  carnival, 
which  is  celebrated  just  before  Lent.  The  keys  of  the  city 
are  then  given  over  to  the  King  of  the  Carnival,  and  all 
day  long  high  revelry  holds  sway.  Brilliant  floats,  repre 
senting  scenes  of  -wonderful  quaintness  and  loveliness, 
parade  through  flower-garlanded  avenues  thronged  with 
people  who  have  come  from  every  quarter  of  the  globe. 
Carried  away  by  the  spirit  of  the  fete,  these  guests  join 
with  the  citizens  in  turning  New  Orleans  for  the  time  into 
a  fairy  city  of  wonder  and  delight. 


NEW  ORLEANS 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

Population  (1920),  nearly  400,000  (387,219). 

Seventeenth  city  in  rank,  according  to  population. 

The  natural  port  of  export  and  exchange  for  the  Missis 
sippi  Valley. 

The  second  largest  export  port  in  the  United  States. 

The  world's  greatest  export  market  for  cotton.. 

The  center  of  a  great  sugar  industry. 

A  great  import  port  for  tropical  fruit  and  coffee. 

Splendid  harbor  and  shipping  facilities  along  the  river. 

Excellent  communications  by  water  and  rail  with  other 
great  American  cities. 

Protected  by  great  levees  from  overflow  of  the  Missis 
sippi  River. 

Holds  annuallv  a  great  Mardi  Gras  carnival. 


264      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1 .  Tell  briefly  the  story  of  the  settlement  of  New  Orleans. 

2.  Can  you  tell  why  it  was  important  for  the  United  States 
to  own  New  Orleans  ? 

3.  Describe  the  city's  part  in  two  wars.    What  wars  were 
they  ? 

4.  What  great  natural   disadvantages   were   overcome   in 
improving  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  and  how  was  it  done  ? 

5.  State  some  facts  about  the  principal  business  street  of 
the  city.    What  unusual  arrangement  of  street  cars  is  found 
in  New  Orleans  ? 

6.  Contrast  the  French  Quarter  of  the  past  with  the  same 
section  as  it  is  to-day. 

7.  What  is  interesting  about  Jackson  Square  ? 

8.  Tell  what  you  can  of  the  river  front. 

9.  What   are    the    chief    imports    and    exports    of    New 
Orleans  ? 

10.  Give  a  brief  account  of  the  preparation  of  cotton,  from 
the  field  to  its  being  loaded  for  shipment  to  foreign  lands. 

11.  Do  you  know  why  so  much  cotton  is  sent  to  foreign 
countries  ? 

12.  Tell  how  sugar  is  made  from  the  sugar  cane.    Do  you 
know  from  what  else  we  get  sugar? 

13.  Tell  what  you  can  of  the  Mardi  Gras  carnival. 

14.  Find  by  reference  to  a  map  of  the  United  States  the 
great  cities   which  may   be  reached  by   river  steamers   from 
New  Orleans. 

15.  Why  was  New  Orleans  called  the  Crescent  City  ? 


WASHINGTON 
THE  CAPITAL  CITY 

Washington,  the  capital  city  of  our  nation,  is  the 
center  of  interest  for  the  whole  country.  Every  citizen 
of  the  United  States  thinks  of  the  city  of  Washington 
as  a  place  in  which  he  has  a  personal  pride. 

Here  one  may  see  in  operation  the  work  of  governing 
a  great  nation.  The  representatives  whom  the  people 
have  chosen  meet  in  the  splendid  Capitol  to  make  laws 
for  the  whole  country.  The  home  of  the  president  is 
here,  and  here  are  located  the  headquarters  of  the  great 
departments  of  our  government. 

The  capital  city  is  a  city  of  splendid  trees,  of  wide, 
well-paved  streets  and  handsome  avenues.  At  the  inter 
section  of  many  of  the  streets  and  avenues  are  beautiful 
parks  and  circles,  ornamented  by  statues  of  the  great 
men  of  the  nation. 

"  How,"  we  are  asked,  "  did  it  happen  that  the  capital 
of  a  great  nation  was  built  almost  on  its  eastern  bound 
ary  ?  "  The  distance  from  Washington  to  San  Francisco 
is  3205  miles.  In  other  words,  Washington  is  almost  as 
near  to  London  as  to  San  Francisco.  The  answer  is  simple, 
is  265 


266      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  site  was  chosen  when  the  settled  part  of  onr  country 
lay  between  the  Allegheny  Mountains  and  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  At  that  time  most  of  the  land  west  of  the 
Alleghenies  was  looked  upon  as  a  wilderness  whose 
settlement  was  uncertain,  while  no  one  dreamed  that 
the  infant  nation  would  extend  its  boundaries  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

"  And  why  Avas  it  decided  to  build  a  new  city  as  the 
nation's  capital,  on  a  site  where  there  was  not  even  a 
settlement  ?  Why  was  not  some  city  already  established 
chosen  to  be  the  chief  city  of  the  nation  ?  "  The  story 
is  interesting. 

Before  the  Revolutionary  War  the  colonies  were  much 
like  thirteen  independent  nations,  having  little  to  do  with 
one  another,  but  during  the  war  a  common  peril  held 
them  together  in  a  loose  union.  With  the  danger  passed 
and  independence  won,  this  union  threatened  to  dissolve, 
but  thanks  to  the  influence  of  the  wisest  and  best  men 
in  the  country  the  thirteen  states  finally  became  one 
nation  and  adopted  the  Constitution  which  governs  the 
United  States  ,to-day.  Then  discussion  arose  as  to  the 
site  of  the  new  nation's  capital.  Several  states  clamored 
for  the  honor  of  having  one  of  their  cities  chosen  as  the 
government  city.  The  men  who  framed  the  Constitution 
were  wise  enough,  however,  to  foresee  difficulty  if  this 
were  done,  and  insisted  that  the  seat  of  government 
should  be  in  no  state  but  in  a  small  territory  which 
should  be  controlled  entirely  by  the  national  government. 

After  much  debate  the  present  location  was  chosen, 
and  the  two  states  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  each  gave 
to  the  federal  government  entire  control  over  a  small 


WASHINGTON 


267 


territory  on  the  Potomac  River.  The  two  pieces  of  laud 
formed  a  square,  ten  miles  on  each  side.  The  territory  was 
named  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  the  city  to  be  built 
was  called  Washington  in  honor  of  our  first  president, 
whose  home,  Mount  Vernon,  was  but  a  few  miles  away. 
Later,  in  1846,  the  Virginia  part  of  the  District  was  given 


MOUNT  A^ERNOX 

back,  so  now  all  the  District  is  on  the  Maryland  side  of 
the  Potomac  and  is  no  longer  in  the  shape  of  a  square. 
A  firm  belief  in  the  future  of  Washington  led  to  the 
making  of  very  elaborate  and  extensive  plans  for  laying 
out  the  city.  But  as  the  public  buildings  began  to  rise, 
with  great  stretches  of  unimproved  country  between  them, 
many  thought  the  plans  much  too  elaborate  and  feared 
that  the  attempt  to  build  a  new  city  would  end  in  failure. 
It  was  in  the  fall  of  1800  when  the  government  moved 
to  Washington.  Then,  in  1814,  when  things  had  taken 


268      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


a  start,  a  dreadful  misfortune  happened;  just  a  few 
months  before  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812,  the  British 
attacked  the  city  and  burned  both  the  Capitol  and  the 
White  House.  In  spite  of  these  early  discouragements 
and  years  of  ridicule,  the  -capital  has  fully  justified  the 
plans  and  hopes  of  the  far-seeing  men  who  built  not 

for  their  own  day  but 
for  the  years  to  come. 
Perhaps  one  gets  the 
best  idea  of  the  city  to 
day  from  the  height  of 
the  Capitol's  beautiful 
dome  that  rises  over 
three  hundred  feet  above 
the  pavement.  There  is 
a  gallery  around  thq  out 
side  of  the  dome,  just 
below  the  lantern  which 
lights  its  summit,  and 
from  here  one  can  see 
for  miles  in  any  direc 


tion. 


Our  view  of  the  city  from  this  height  shows  us  that 
most  of  the  streets  are  straight  and  run  either  north  and 
south  or  east  and  west.  The  east  and  west  streets  are  let 
tered  ;  those  running  north  and  south  are  numbered.  One 
might  easily  imagine  four  great  checkerboards  placed 
together,  with  the  Capitol  standing  at  the  point  where  the 
four  boards  meet.  I  say  four  checkerboards,  because  from 
the  Capitol  three  great  streets  go  to  the  north,  the  south, 
and  the  east,  while  a  broad  park  runs  away  to  the  west, 


WASHINGTON 


269 


thus  dividing  the  city  into  four  sections.  Running  across 
the  regularly  planned  streets  of  these  checkerboards  are 
broad  avenues,  many  of  which  seem  to  come  like  spokes 
of  wheels  from  parks  placed  in  different  sections  of  the 
city.  These  avenues  are  named  for  different  states. 


LOOKING  WEST  FROM  THE  DOME  OF  THE  CAPITOL 

Close  about  us  is  a  splendid  group  of  majestic  build 
ings.  The  Capitol,  upon  the  brow  of  the  hill  overlooking 
the  western  part  of  the  city,  is  the  center  of  the  group. 
To  the  north  and  south  of  the  Capitol  rise  the  beautiful 
marble  buildings  for  the  use  of  the  committees  of  the 
Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives.  To  the  east  is 
the  Library  of  Congress,  the  most  beautiful  building  of  its 
kind  in  the  world. 


270 


WASHINGTON  271 

Toward  the  northwest  and  southeast  runs  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  one  hundred  sixty  feet  wide,  the  most  famous 
street  in  the  city.  About  a  mile  and  a  half  up  Pennsyl 
vania  Avenue  from  the  Capitol  is  another  imposing  group 
of  public  buildings.  Here  are  the  Treasury  Department, 
the  Executive  Mansion,  —  the  home  of  the  president,  — 
and  the  State,  War,  and  Navy  Building.  Pennsylvania 


A  VIEW  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE 

Avenue  leads  past  the  fronts  of  these  buildings  and  on  for 
more  than  two  miles  to  the  far-western  part  of  the  city. 

Directly  west  from  the  Capitol  we  look  along  the  fine 
parkways  which  divide  the  city  in  that  direction  just  as 
do  the  main  streets  which  run  from  the  Capitol  to  the 
north,  east,  and  south.  This  handsome  series  of  parks  is 
called  the  Mall.  In  the  Mall  are  a  number  of  public 
buildings  placed  in  an  irregular  line  stretching  west 
from  the  Capitol,  with  sufficient  distance  between  them 


272      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

to  allow  spacious  grounds  for  each  building.  Here  we 
find  the  home  of  the  Bureau  of  Fisheries,  the  Army 
Medical  Museum,  the  National  Museum,  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  the  Bureau  of 
Engraving  and  Printing,  and  the  Washington  Monument. 

As  we  walk  around  the  gallery  of  the  Capitol  dome, 
we  see  that  almost  every  street  and  avenue  is  lined  on 
either  side  with  beautiful  shade  trees  which  give  the  city 
a  gardenlike  appearance.  And  looking  toward  the  south 
we  see  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Potomac  meeting  the 
main  stream  and  flowing  away  in  a  majestic  river,  over  a 
mile  in  width.  On  all  sides  of  the  city  the  land  rises 
in  beautiful  green  hills,  guarding  the  nation's  capital  as  it 
lies  nestled  between  the  river's  protecting  arms. 

Having  this  picture  of  the  general  plan  of  Washington, 
let  us  visit  some  of  the  buildings ;  first  of  all  the  Capitol, 
for  it  is  the  most  imposing  as  well  as  the  most  important 
building  in  the  city.  For  a  good  view  of  the  building, 
walk  out  upon  the  spacious  esplanade  which  extends 
across  the  eastern  front.  Even  here  it  is  hard  to  appre 
ciate  that  the  Capitol  is  over  751  feet  long,  350  feet  wide, 
and  covers  more  than  3-J-  acres  of  ground.  The  eastern 
front  shows  the  building  to  have  three  divisions,  a  central 
building  and  a  northern  and  a  southern  wing.  Each  divi 
sion  has  a  splendid  portico  with  stately  Corinthian  columns 
and  a  broad  flight  of  steps  leading  to  the  portico  from 
the  eastern  esplanade. 

Every  four  years  a  new  president  of  the  United  States 
is  elected,  and  March  4  is  the  day  on  which  he  takes 
office.  On  this  day  a  great  stand  is  put  up  over  the  steps 
leading  to  the  central  portico  of  the  Capitol,  and  upon 


274      GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

this  platform  a  most  imposing  ceremony  takes  place.  Here 
the  new  president,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  members  of 
Congress,  the  representatives  of  foreign  nations,  many  dis 
tinguished  guests,  and  an  immense  throng  of  people,  takes 
upon  himself  the  obligations  of  his  high  office.  The  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  holds  a  Bible  before  the 


\YIIKN   PRESIDENT  WILSON   WAS  INAUGURATED 

president,  who  places  his  hand  upon  it  and  repeats  these 
words :  "  I  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  faithfully  exe 
cute  the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States,  and  will, 
to  the  best  of  my  ability,  preserve,  protect  and  defend  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States."  After  the  president 
has  delivered  his  inaugural  address,  a  splendid  procession 
escorts  him  to  his  new  home,  the  Executive  Mansion. 


WASHINGTON  275 

Above  the  central  division  of  the  Capitol  building, 
which  for  many  years  served  as  the  entire  Capitol,  rises 
the  imposing  dome  from  which  we  have  just  come.  It  is 
crowned  with  a  lantern  upon  the  top  of  which  is  placed 
the  statue  of  Freedom. 

Across  the  western  front  of  the  Capitol  is  a  marble 
terrace  overlooking  the  lower  part  of  the  city.  Though 
the  western  front  is  ornamented  with  colonnades  of  Corin 
thian  columns,  it  lacks  the  splendid  approaches  of  the 
eastel-n  side. 

This  immense  building,  representing  the  dignity  and 
greatness  of  our  nation,  is  given  over  almost  entirely  to 
the  work  of  lawmaking.  In  the  central  part  is  the  large 
rotunda  beneath  the  lofty  dome.  The  northern  wing  is 
occupied  by  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  while  the 
southern  wing  is  the  home  of  the  House  of  Representa 
tives.  We  enter  the  rotunda  by  the  broad  stairs  leading 
from  the  eastern  esplanade  and  find  ourselves  in  a  great 
circular  hall,  almost  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter,  whose 
walls  curve  upward  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet.  At  the 
top  a  beautiful  canopy  shows  the  Father  of  his  Country 
in  the  company  of  figures  representing  the  thirteen  origi 
nal  states.  About  these  are  other  figures,  personifying 
commerce,  freedom,  mechanics,  agriculture,  dominion  over 
the  sea,  and  the  arts  and  sciences.  Encircling  the  upper 
part  of  the  walls,  but  many  feet  below  the  canopy,  is  a 
frieze  of  scenes  from  the  history  of  the  United  States. 

Around  the  lower  part  of  the  walls  are  eight  great 
paintings.  Four  of  them  are  the  work  of  one  of  Wash 
ington's  officers,  Colonel  John  Trumbull  of  Connecticut, 
and  are  of  great  interest  because  the  figures  are  actual 


276      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

portraits  of  the  people  represented.  These  paintings  show 
the  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the 
surrender  of  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga,  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis  at  Yorktown,  and  the  resignation  of  Gen 
eral  Washington  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution. 


STATUARY  HALL,   IN  THE  CAPITOL 


From  the  rotunda,  broad  corridors  lead  north  to  the 
Senate  Chamber  and  south  to  the  House  of  Representa 
tives.  Following  the  corridor  to  the  south,  we  come  to 
a  large  semicircular  room.  When  the  central  division  of 
the  building  was  all  there  was  to  the  Capitol,  this  room 
was  occupied  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  here 
were  heard  the  speeches  of  Adams,  Wrebster,  Clay,  Cal- 
houn,  and  many  other  famous  statesmen.  It  is  now  set 


WASHINGTON  277 

apart  as  a  national  statuary  hall,  where  each  state  may 
place  two  statues  of  her  chosen  sons.  As  many  of  the 
states  have  been  glad  to  honor  their  great  men  in  this 
way,  a  splendid  array  of  national  heroes  is  gathered  in 
the  hall.  Among  the  Revolutionary  heroes  we  find  Wash 
ington,  Ethan  Allen,  and  Nathaniel  Green.  A  statue  of 
Fulton,  sent  by  New  York,  shows  him  seated,  looking  at  a 
model  of  his  steamship.  Of  all  these  marble  figures,  per 
haps  none  attracts  more  attention  than  that  of  Frances 
Elizabeth  Willard,  the  great  apostle  of  temperance,  and 
to  the  state  of  Illinois  belongs  the  distinction  of  having 
placed  the  only  statue  of  a  woman  in  this  great  collection. 
Leaving  Statuary  Hall,  we  go  south  to  the  Hall  of 
Representatives.  Here  representatives  from  all  the  states 
gather  to  frame  laws  for  the  entire  nation.  Seated  in 
the  gallery  it  seems  almost  as  if  we  were  in  a  huge 
schoolroom,  for  the  representatives  occupy  seats  which 
are  arranged  in  semicircles,  facing  a  white  marble  desk 
upon  a  high  platform  reached  by  marble  steps.  This  is 
the  desk  of  the  Speaker  of  the  House.  The  Speaker's 
duty  is  to  preserve  order  and  to  see  that  the  business  of 
this  branch  of  Congress  is  carried  on  as  it  should  be. 
Before  delivering  a  speech,  a  representative  must  have 
the  Speaker's  permission.  The  Speaker  is  a  most  impor 
tant  person,  for  all  business  is  transacted  under  his  direc 
tion.  The  representatives  come  from  every  state  in  the 
Union,  and  even  far-off  Hawaii,  Alaska,  and  the  Philip 
pines  are  allowed  to  send  delegates  to  this  assembly  to 
represent  them  in  making  laws.  Think  what  a  serious 
matter  it  would  have  been  to  the  people  of  the  far  West 
to  have  the  capital  of  their  nation  in  the  extreme  Eastern 


278      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

section  of  the  country  if  the  development  of  the  railroads, 
the  telegraph,  and  the  telephone  had  not  made  travel 
and  communication  so  easy  that  great  distances  are  no 
longer  obstacles. 

But  we  can  pay   only   a  brief  visit  to  the  House  of 
Representatives,  for  there  is  another  body  of  lawmakers 


THE  OPENING  OF  CONGRESS 

in  the  northern  end  of  the  Capitol  which  we  wish  to  see. 
Back  to  the  rotunda  we  go  and  then  walk  along  a  corri 
dor  leading  to  the  northern,  or  Senate,  end  of  the  Capitol. 
Each  day,  for  a  number  of  months  in  the  year,  an  inter 
esting  ceremony  takes  place  in  this  corridor  promptly 
at  noon.  Nine  dignified  men,  clad  in  long  black  silk 
robes,  march  in  solemn  procession  across  the  corridor 


WASHINGTON  279 

and  enter  a  stately  chamber  which,  though  smaller,  re 
sembles  Statuary  Hall  in  shape.  These  men  make  up 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  the  highest 
court  of  justice  in  the  land. 

Often  in  cases  at  law  a  person  does  not  feel  that  the 
decision  of  one  court  has  been  just.  He  may  then  have 
his  case  examined  and  passed  upon  by  a  higher  court. 
This  is  called  "  appealing,"  and  some  cases,  for  good 
cause,  may  be  appealed  from  one  court  to  another  until 
they  reach  the  Supreme  Court.  Beyond  the  Supreme 
Court  there  is  no  appeal.  What  this  court  decides  must 
be  accepted  as  final.  The  room  in  which  the  Supreme 
Court  meets  was  once  used  as  the  Senate  Chamber,  and 
many  of  the  great  debates  heard  in  the  Senate  before  our 
Civil  War  were  held  in  this  room. 

The  Senate  Chamber  of  to-day  is  further  down  the 
north  corridor.  This  room  is  not  unlike  the  Hall  of 
Representatives  in  plan  and  arrangement,  though  it  is 
somewhat  smaller.  Instead  of  having  a  chairman  of  their 
own  choosing,  as  is  the  case  in  the  House,  the  Senate 
is  presided  over  by  the  vice  president  of  the  United 
States.  This  high  official,  seated  upon  a  raised  platform, 
directs  the  proceedings  of  the  Senate  just  as  the  Speaker 
directs  those  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  There 
seems  to  be  an  air  of  greater  solemnity  and  dignity  in 
this  small  group  of  lawmakers  than  in  the  House  of  Rep 
resentatives.  It  is  smaller  because  each  state  is  entitled  to 
send  but  two  senators  to  the  Senate,  whereas  the  number 
of  representatives  is  governed  by  the  number  of  inhabit 
ants  in  the  state.  The  populous  state  of  New  York  has 
forty-three  representatives  and  but  two  senators,  the 


280      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

same  number  as  the  little  state  of  Rhode  Island  whose 
population  entitles  it  to  only  three  representatives. 

The  purpose  of  having  two  lawmaking  bodies  is  to  pro 
vide  a  safeguard  against  hasty  and  unwise  legislation.  In 
the  House  of  Representatives  the  most  populous  states 
have  the  greatest  influence,  while  in  the  Senate  all  states 
are  equally  represented,  and  each  state  has  two  votes 


INAUGURAL  PARADE  ON  PENNSYLVANIA  AVENUE 

regardless  of  its  size  and  population.  Since  every  pro 
posed  law  must  be  agreed  to  in  both  the  Senate  and  the 
House  before  it  is  taken  to  the  president  for  his  approval, 
each  body  acts  as  a  check  on  the  other  in  lawmaking. 

Just  to  the  east  of  the  Capitol  grounds  stands  the 
magnificent  Library  of  Congress.  This  wonderful  store 
house  of  books  is  a  marvelous  palace.  It  covers  almost 
an  entire  city  block,  and  its  towering  gilded  dome  is  visible 


WASHINGTON  281 

from  almost  every  part  of  the  city.  Once  inside,  we  could 
easily  believe  "ourselves  in  fairyland,  so  beautiful  are  the 
halls  and  the  staircases  of  carved  marble,  so  wonderful  the 
paintings  and  the  decorations.  Every  available  space  upon 
the  walls  and  ceilings  is  adorned  with  pictures,  with  the 
names  of  the  great  men  of  the  world,  and  with  beautiful 


BOTANICAL  GARDENS 

quotations  from  the  poets  and  scholars  who  seem  to  live 
again  in  this  magnificent  building  which  is  dedicated  to 
the  things  they  loved. 

In  the  center  of  the  building,  just  beneath  the  gilded 
dome,  is  a  rotunda  slightly  wider  than  the  rotunda  of  the 
Capitol,  though  not  so  high.  Here  are  desks  for  the  use 
of  those  who  wish  to  consult  any  volume  of  the  immense 
collection  of  books. 

19 


282      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

The  books  are  kept  in  great  structures  called  stacks, 
9  stories  high  and  containing  bookshelves  which  would 
stretch  nearly  44  miles  if  placed  in  one  line.  Any  one 
of  the  great  collection  of  1,300,000  volumes  can  be  sent 
by  machinery  from  the  stacks  to  the  reading  room  or  to. 
the  Capitol.  When  a  member  of  Congress  wants  a  book 
which  is  in  the  Library,  he  need  not  leave  the  Capitol, 
for  there  is  a  tunnel  connecting  the  two  buildings  through 
which  runs  a  little  car  to  carry  books. 

The  Librarian  of  Congress  has  charge  of  the  enforce 
ment  of  the  copyright  law.  By  means  of  this  law  an 
author  may  secure  the  exclusive  right  to  publish  a  book, 
paper,  or  picture  for  twenty-eight  years.  One  of  the  re 
quirements  of  the  copyright  law  is  that  the  author  must 
place  in  the  Library  of  Congress  two  copies  of  whatever 
he  has  copyrighted.  Hence,  on  the  shelves  of  this  great 
library  may  be  found  almost  every  book  or  paper  pub 
lished  in  the  United  States. 

Leaving  the  Library  we  once  more  find  ourselves  upon 
the  great  esplanade  east  of  the  Capitol.  In  the  majestic 
white-marble  buildings  to  the  north  and  south,  —  known 
as  the  Senate  and  House  office  buildings,  —  committees 
of  each  House  of  Congress  meet  to  discuss  proposed  laws. 

Having  seen  the  lawmakers  at  work  in  the  Capitol, 
let  us  visit  the  officials  whose  duty  it  is  to  enforce  the 
laws  made  by  Congress. 

Chief  among  these  is  the  president  of  the  United  States. 
His  house  is  officially  known  as  the  Executive  Mansion, 
but  nearly  everybody  speaks  of  it  as  the  White  House. 
The  first  public  building  erected  in  Washington  was  the 
White  House.  It  is  said  that  Washington  himself  chose 


WASHINGTON 


283 


the  site.  He  lived  to  see  it  built  but  not  occupied,  for 
the  capital  was  not  moved  to  the  District  of  Columbia 
until  1800,  a  year  after  Washington's  death. 

This  simple,  stately  building  is  a  fitting  home  for  the 
head  of  a  great  republic.  In  the  main  building  are  the 
living  apartments  of  the  president  and  his  family,  and 


THE  WHITE  HOUSE  FROM  THE  NORTH 

the  great  rooms  used  for  state  receptions ;  the  largest 
and  handsomest  of  these  is  the  famous  East  Room.  Other 
rooms  used  on  public  occasions  are  known,  from  the  color 
of  the  furnishings  and  hangings,  as  the  Blue  Room,  the 
Green  Room,  and  the  Red  Room.  There  is  also  the  great 
State  Dining  Room,  where  the  president  entertains  at 
dinner  the  important  government  officials  and  foreign 
representatives. 


284      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

In  the  Annex,  adjoining  the  White  House  on  the  west, 
are  the  offices  of  the  president  and  those  who  assist  him 
in  his  work.  In  this  part  of  the  building  is  the  cabinet- 
room,  where  the  president  meets  the  heads  of  the  various 
departments  to  consult  with  them  concerning  questions 
of  national  importance. 

Across  the  street  from  the  president's  office  is  the  im 
mense  granite  building  occupied  by  the  three  departments 


THE  UNITED  STATES  TREASURY 

of  State,  War,  and  Navy.  The  secretaries  in  charge  of 
these  departments  have  their  offices  here,  together  with 
a  small  army  of  clerks. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  White  House  from  the 
State,  War,  and  Navy  Building  is  the  National  Treasury. 
The  Treasury  Building  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  city. 
To  see  the  splendid  colonnade  on  the  east  is  alone  worth  a 
journey  to  Washington.  From  this  building  all  the  money 
affairs  of  the  United  States  government  are  directed. 


WASHINGTON 


285 


In  the  Treasury  Building  and  in  the  Bureau  of  Engrav 
ing  and  Printing  one  may  see  the  entire  process  of  manu 
facturing  and  issuing  paper  money.  In  the  Treasury  we 
see  new  bills  exchanged  for  old,  worn-out  bills,  which  are 
ground  to  pieces  to  destroy  forever  their  value  as  money. 


BUREAU  OF  ENGRAVING  AND  PRINTING,   "UNCLE  SAM'S 
MONEY  FACTORY" 

But  to  understand  the  story  of  a  dollar  bill  or  a  bill 
of  any  other  value  we  must  visit  the  Bureau  of  Engraving 
and  Printing.  This  building,  which  is  some  distance  from 
the  Treasury  Building,  reminds  us  of  a  large  printing 
office,  and  that  is  just  what  it  is.  Here  we  are  shown 
from  room  to  room  where  many  men  and  women  are  at 
work,  some  engraving  the  plates  from  which  bills  are  to 


286      GKEAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

be  printed  and  others  printing  the  bills.  The  paper  used 
is  manufactured  by  a  secret  process  for  United  States 
money,  and  every  sheet  is  most  carefully  counted  at 
every  stage  of  the  printing.  Altogether  the  sheets  are 
counted  fifty-two  times.  Many  clerks  are  employed  to 
keep  a  careful  account  of  these  sheets,  and  it  is  almost 
impossible  for  a  single  bill  or  a  single  piece  of  paper  to 


A  CIRCLE  AND  ITS  RADIATING  AVENUES 

be  lost  or  stolen.  After  the  money  is  printed  it  is  put 
into  bundles,  sealed,  and  sent  in  a  closely  guarded  steel 
wagon  to  the  Treasury  Building,  where  it  is  stored  in 
great  vaults  until  it  is  issued. 

At  the  Treasury  we  find  the  officials  sending  out  these 
crisp  new  bills  in  payment  of  the  debts  of  the  United 
States  or  in  exchange  for  bills  which  are  so  tattered  and 
torn  that  they  are  no  longer  useful.  This  exchanging  of 
new  money  for  old  is  a  large  part  of  the  business  of  the 


WASHINGTON  287 

Treasury  and  calls  for  the  greatest  care  in  counting  and 
keeping  records,  in  order  that  no  mistakes  may  be  made. 

After  the  old  bills  are  counted  they  are  cut  in  half 
and  the  halves  counted  separately,  to  make  sure  that 
the  first  count  was  correct.  When  the  exact  amount  of 
money  has  been  determined,  new  bills  are  sent  out  to  the 
owners  of  the  old  bills,  and  the  old  bills  are  destroyed. 

When  we  have  seen  enough  of  the  counting  of  old 
money,  our  guide  takes  us  down  into  the  cellar  of  this 
great  building,  where  we  walk  along  a  narrow  passage 
way  with  millions  of  dollars  in  gold  and  silver  on  either 
hand.  All  is  carefully  secured  by  massive  doors  and 
locks,  and  none  but  trusted  officials  may  enter  the  vaults 
themselves.  These  gold  and  silver  coins  are  made  in  the 
United  States  mints  in  Philadelphia,  Denver,  New  Orleans, 
and  San  Francisco. 

You  see  the  paper  bill  is  not  real  money  but  a  sort 
of  receipt  representing  gold  and  silver  money  which  "you 
can  get  at  any  time  from  the  Treasury.  As  we  peep 
through  the  barred  doors  of  the  vaults  and  see  great 
piles  of  canvas  sacks,  it  is  interesting  to  know  that  some 
of  the  silver  and  gold  coins  they  hold  are  ours,  waiting 
here  while  we  carry  in  our  pockets  the  paper  bills  which 
represent  them. 

In  addition  to  issuing  money,  the  Treasury  Department 
has  charge  of  collecting  all  the  taxes  and  duties  which 
furnish  the  money  for  the  payment  of  the  expenses  of 
the  government. 

Washington  is  a  government  city.  Of  its  population 
of  over  400,000,  many  thousands  are  directly  engaged  in  the 
various  departments  of  the  government,  while  most  of  the 


288      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

other  lines  of  business  thrive  by  supplying  the  needs  of 
the  government's  employees  and  their  families.  Very  little 
manufacturing  is  done  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and 
such  articles  as  are  manufactured  are  chiefly  for  local  use. 
People  from  almost  every  country  in  the  world  may 
be  seen  on  the  streets,  for  almost  all  civilized  nations 
have  ministers  or  ambassadors  at  Washington  to  represent 


CONTINENTAL  MEMORIAL  HALL 

them  in  official  dealings  with  the  United  States.  These 
foreign  representatives  occupy  fine  homes,  and  during  the 
winter  season  many  brilliant  receptions  are  given  by  them 
as  well  as  by  our  own  high  officials. 

The  people  of  Washington  have  built  fine  churches  and 
many  handsome  schools,  to  which  all,  from  the  president 
to  the  humblest  citizen,  send  their  children.  In  or  near 
the  city  are  the  five  universities  of  George  Washington, 


WASHINGTON 


289 


Georgetown,  Howard  University  for  colored  people,  the 
Catholic  University,  and  the  American  University,  where 
graduates  from  other  colleges  take  advanced  work. 

The  citizens  of  the  District  of  Columbia  do  not  vote 
nor  do  they  make  their  own  laws,  as  it  was  feared  there 
might  be  a  disagreement  between  Congress  and  the  city 


ANNEX  AND  GARDEN  OF  THE  PAN-AMERICAN   UNION 

government  if  people  voted  on  local  matters.  All  laws 
for  the  District  of  Columbia  are  made  by  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  and  are  carried  out  by  three 
commissioners  appointed  by  the  president  with  the  con 
sent  of  the  Senate.  Many  inhabitants  of  the  District  are 
citizens  of  the  states  and  go  to  their  homes  at  election 
time  to  cast  their  votes.  Isn't  it  strange  that  there  is  a 
place  in  the  United  States  where  the  citizens  cannot  vote  ? 


290      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


You  are,  no  doubt, 
beginning  to  think  that 
the  places  of  interest  in 
Washington  must  be  very 
numerous.  This  is  true, 
for  few  cities  in  the  world 
have  so  many  interesting 
public  buildings.  Among 
these  are  the  Corcoran 
Art  Gallery ;  the  Con 
tinental  Memorial  Hall, 
the  majestic  marble  build 
ing  of  the  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution; 
and  the  palatial  home  of 
the  Pan- American  Union, 
a  place  where  representa 
tives  of  all  the  American 
republics  may  meet.  Then 
there  is  the  Patent  Office, 
for  recording  and  filing 
old  patents  and  granting 
new  ones;  the  Pension 
Office,  from  which  cer 
tain  war  veterans  receive 
a  stated  sum  each  year; 
the  Government  Print 
ing  Office,  whose  reports 
require  over  a  million 
dollars'  worth  of  paper 
each  year;  Ford's  Theater, 


WASHINGTON 


291 


where  President  Lincoln  was  shot ;  the  naval-gun  factory, 
for  making  the  fourteen-inch  long-range  guns  used  on  our 
battleships;  and  the  Union  Railroad  Station,  whose  east  wing 
is  reserved  for  the 
use  of  the  president. 
There  is  one  al 
most  sacred  spot, 
upon  which  the  na 
tion  has  erected  a 
splendid  memorial 
to  our  greatest  hero, 
George  Washington. 
The  Washington 
Monument  is  a  sim 
ple  obelisk  of  white 
marble,  that  towers 
555  feet  above  the 
beautiful  park  in 
the  midst  of  which 
it  stands.  Those 
openings  near  the 
top  which  seem  so 
small  are  504  feet 

above    us    and    are 

• 

actually  large  win 
dows.  On  entering  the  door  at  the  base  of  the  monument, 
we  pass  through  the  wall,  which  is  15  feet  thick,  and  find 
an  elevator  ready  to  carry  us  to  the  top.  If  we  prefer  to 
walk,  there  is  an  interior  stairway  of  900  steps  leading  to 
the  top  landing.  At  the  end  of  our  upward  journey  we 
find  ourselves  in  a  large  room  with  two  great  windows  on 


WASHINGTON  MONUMENT  FROM  CON 
TINENTAL  MEMORIAL  HALL 


292      GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

each  of  the  four  sides.  From  here  we  get  another  view  of 
the  hill-surrounded  city,  and  the  scene  which  lies  before 
us  is  inspiring. 

The  Washington  Monument  is  near  the  western  end  of 
the  Mall,  that  series  of  parks  extending  from  the  Capitol 
to  the  Potomac  River.  Near  by  are  the  buildings  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture,  which  has  been  of  the  great 
est  help  to  the  farmers  of  our  land  by  sending  out  impor 
tant  information  concerning  almost  everything  connected 
with  farm  life.  Through  the  Bureau  of  Chemistry  this 
department  did  much  to  bring  about  the  passage  of  the 
Pure  Food  Law,  which  protects  the  people  by  forbidding 
the  sale  of  food  and  drugs  that  are  not  pure. 

In  the  spacious  park  adjoining  the  grounds  of  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  is  a  building  which  looks  like 
an  ancient  castle.  This  is  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
which  carries  on  scientific  work  under  government  control. 

The  National  Museum,  which  is  under  the  control  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  has  a  fine  building  of  its  own. 
This  museum  is  a  perfect  treasure  house  of  interesting 
exhibits  of  all  kinds.  Here  may  be  seen  relics  of  Wash 
ington,  of  General  Grant,  and  of  other  famous  Americans ; 
and  here  are  exhibits  showing  the  history  of  the  telegraph, 
the  telephone,  the  sewing  machine,  the  automobile,  and 
the  flying  machine.  Stuffed  animals  of  all  kinds  are  ar 
ranged  to  look  just  as  if  they  were  alive.  So  numerous  are 
the  exhibits  that  it  would  require  a  large  book  simply  to 
mention  them.  Many  of  the  boys  and  girls  of  Washington 
spend  their  Saturday  afternoons  examining  the  wonderful 
things  which  have  been  brought  to  this  museum  from  all 
parts  of  the  world. 


293 


294       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE   UNITED  STATES 

Near  the  Washington  Monument  is  a  Grecian  temple 
erected  as  a  memorial  to  Abraham  Lincoln.  A  beautiful 
mirror  basin  extends  from  the  eastern  front  of  the  memorial 
toward  the  Washington  Monument.  In  the  placid  waters 
of  this  basin  are  reflected  both  of  the  memorials  to  the  two 
great  men  whom  America  delights  to  honor. 

The  Lincoln  Memorial  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  splendid 
parkway  known  as  Potomac  Park.  Fine  fields,  beautiful 
gardens  and  wonderful  driveways  occupy  what  was  once 
the  mud  flats  of  the  river.  The  well  kept  roads  encircle 
fields  given  over  to  golf,  tennis,  baseball,  polo  and  other 
outdoor  sports.  A  well  equipped  bathing  beach  in  this 
park  offers  enjoyment  for  thousands  during  the  summer 
months.  The  winding  road  beside  the  historic  Potomac 
River  is  bordered  with  flowering  cherry  trees  from  Japan 
and  flowering  trees  of  other  varieties.  In  the  early  spring 
the  drive  is  one  of  wondrous  beauty. 

From  the  point  of  land  forming  the  southern  extremity 
of  the  park  an  excellent  view  is  obtained  of  the  flying  fields 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Here  both  the  Army 
and  Navy  maintain  extensive  establishments  and  planes  of 
many  kinds. 

Washington  has  also  a  -  zoological  park  where  there 
are  animals  from  everywhere.  It  is  on  the  banks  of  a 
beautiful  stream  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city  and  is  part 
of  a  great  public  park  which  covers  many  acres  of  pictur 
esque  wooded  country. 

We  must  not  omit  the  Post  Office  Department,  for  that 
is  the  part  of  the  federal  government  which  comes  nearest 
to  our  homes.  Here  are  the  offices  of  the  postmaster  gen 
eral  and  his  many  assistants.  To  tell  of  the  wonders  of 


WASHINGTON  295 

our  postal  system  would  be  a  long  story  in  itself.  If  all 
the  people  employed  by  the  Post  Office  Department  lived 
in  Washington,  they  would  fill  all  of  the  houses  and  leave 
no  room  for  anyone  else.  Of  course  this  great  army  of 
employees  are  not  all  in  any  one  city,  for  the  work  of  the 
post  office  extends  to  every  part  of  the  United  States,  and, 
through  arrangement  with  other  nations,  to  every  part  of 
the  civilized  world. 

In  the  country  surrounding  the  city  of  Washington  are 
several  important  and  interesting  places.  Just  across  the 
river,  in  the  state  of  Virginia,  are  Fort  Myer,  an  army  post, 
and  the  famous  Arlington  National  Cemetery.  Arlington 
was  the  home  of  Martha  Custis,  who  became  the  bride  of 
George  Washington.  At  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War  it 
was  the  home  of  the  famous  Confederate  general,  Robert 
E.  Lee.  Then  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  United  States 
government  and  became  a  National  Cemetery. 

An  imposing  amphitheatre  of  white  marble  has  been 
erected  at  Arlington  to  the  heroes  of  all  the  wars  of  the 
United  States.  Before  the  eastern  entrance  of  the  amphi 
theatre,  looking  across  the  Potomac  upon  the  capitol  of 
the  country  for  which  he  gave  his  life,  is  the  simple  tomb 
of  America's  unknown  soldier.  On  Armistice  Day  1921 
with  imposing  ceremony  the  body  of  an  unknown  American 
soldier  from  the  fields  of  France  was  placed  in  this  tomb. 
He  rests  in  company  with  the  thousands  whose  graves 
cover  the  surrounding  hills  in  America's  greatest  National 
Cemetery. 

On  the  Virginia  shore  of  the  Potomac  River,  sixteen 
miles  south  of  the  city  of  Washington,  is  Mount  Vernon, 
the  home  and  burial  place  of  George  Washington.  The 
sna.rirms  old  ma.nsinn  in  thf>  midst  of  finp  trpps  and  shadv 


296 


WASHINGTON 


lawns  looks  out  over  the  wide  peaceful  river  which  Wash 
ington  loved.  To  this  home  Washington  came  to  live 
shortly  after  his  marriage.  He  spent  his  time  in  farming 
on  this  estate  until  he  was  called  to  take  command  of  the 
American  army.  After  our  independence;  was  won  he 
returned  to  his  home  and  his  farm.  Once  more  he  was 
called  upon  to  leave  this  quiet  country  life  to  become  the 


WASHINGTON'S  TOMB 

first  president  of  the  new  nation.  When  he  had  served  his 
country  two  terms  he  gladly  retired  to  Mount  Vernon, 
where  he  lived  until  his  death  in  1799. 

To-day  the  house  and  grounds  are  preserved  with  lov 
ing  care.  The  rooms  of  the  house  are  furnished  with  fine 
old  mahogany  furniture,  many  pieces  of  which  belonged 
to  Washington.  In  the  grounds,  not  far  from  the  stately 
mansion,  is  the  simple  brick  tomb  where  rest  the  bodies 
of  Washington  and  his  wife.  During  the  years  which 


WASHINGTON  297 

have  passed  since  his  death,  thousands  of  his  countrymen 
have  come  to  tliis  tomb  to  do  honor  to  his  memory. 

As  we  sail  up  the  Potomac  toward  the  city  after  our 
visit  to  the  home  of  the  great  man  whose  name  it  bears, 
the  Washington  Monument,  the  White  House,  the  State, 
War,  and  Navy  Building,  the  Capitol,  the  Library,  and 
the  post  office  tower  above  the  surrounding  buildings 
and,  shining  in  the  golden  light  of  sunset,  make  a  picture 
never  to  be  forgotten. 

This  city  of  parks,  of  broad  avenues,  of  beautiful  build 
ings,  belongs  to  the  Americans  who  live  in  the  far-distant 
states  as  well  as  to  those  who  live  and  work  in  the  capital 
itself.  It  is  our  capital  and  we  may  justly  be  proud  of  it, 
for  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  all  the  world. 


WASHINGTON 
FACTS  TO  REMEMBER 

The  capital  of  the  nation. 

Population  (1920),  over  400,000  (437,571). 

Fourteenth  city  in  rank,  according  to  population. 

Center  of  the  federal  government  of  the  United  States. 

Governed  entirely  by  Congress  under  provision  of  the 
Constitution. 

Chief  offices  of  every  department  of  the  federal  gov 
ernment  located  here. 

Splendid  streets,  avenues,  parks,  and  monuments. 

Many  magnificent  public  buildings. 

Very  few  manufacturing  industries. 

A  city  of  homes  of  government  employees. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  beautiful  cities  in  the 
world. 

20 


298        GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND  STUDY 

1.  Give  some   reasons   why  every  citizen   of  the  United 
States  should  be  interested  in  Washington. 

2.  What  interesting  buildings  are  located  here,  and   for 
what  are  they  used  ? 

3.  What  were  some  of  the  reasons  for  selecting  the  loca 
tion  of  the  capital  city  ? 

4.  After  whom  was  the  city  named  ? 

5.  In  what  year  did  Washington  become  the  capital  city, 
and  what  disaster  visited  it  a  few  years  later  ? 

6.  Describe  the   plan   of  the  city,  and  name   one   of   its 
famous  streets. 

7.  Name  three  interesting  groups   of  buildings:   one   on 
Capitol    Hill,    one    on    Pennsylvania    Avenue,    and    one    in 
the  Mall. 

8.  What  are  some  of  the  natural  beauties  of  the  city  ? 

9.  Give  some  idea  of  the  size  and  beauty  of  the  Capitol 
and  of  the  imposing  ceremony  which  takes  place  there  every 
four  years. 

10.  Describe   briefly   the  House   of  Representatives   when 
in  session  and  the  duties  of  its  members. 

11.  Where  does  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  country  sit,  and 
why  is  it  called  the  Supreme  Court? 

12.  How  does  the  Senate  differ  from  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  ?   What  are    the   duties   of   senators  ?    How  many 
come  from  each  state  ? 

13.  Why  do  we  have  two  lawmaking  bodies  ? 

14.  Name  some  of  the  attractions  of  the  Library  of  Con 
gress.    Tell  how  its  books  are  stacked  and  how  they  are  sent 
to  the  Capitol,  and  give  some  facts  about  the  copyright  law. 

15.  Tell  what  you  know  of  the  White  House. 


WASHINGTON  299 

16.  What   two  fine  buildings  are   on   either   side    of  the 
White  House,  and  for  what  is  each  used  ? 

17.  Describe  the  making  of  paper  money. 

18.  What  are  the  duties  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and 
what  may  be  seen  in  the  Treasury  vaults  ? 

19.  Tell  something  about  the  people  of  Washington,  their 
chief  occupation,  and  why  so  many  foreign  diplomats  have 
their  homes  here. 

20.  How  are  the  city  of  Washington  and  the  District  of 
Columbia  governed  ? 

21.  Name    some    places    of    interest    in    Washington    not 
already  mentioned. 

22.  Describe  the  splendid  monument  by  which  our  great 
est  hero  is  honored 

23.  Tell   why    you    would   like    to    visit   the    Smithsonian 
Institution,  the  National  Museum,  and  the  Zoological  Park. 

24.  Why   are   Fort  Myer,   Arlington,   and  Mount  Vernon 
very  interesting  to  all  citizens  of  the  United  States  ? 

25.  To  whom  does  the  beautiful  city  of  Washington  really 
belong,  and  why  should  we  be  proud  of  it  ? 


REFERENCE  TABLES. 


LARGEST   CITIES   OF   THE   WORLD   ACCORDING   TO 


RANK 
1 
2 
3 
4 


POPULATION 

London    

New  York 

Berlin 

Paris 

Chicago 5 

Tokio 6 

Vienna 7 

Philadelphia 8 

Buenos  Ayres 9 

Hankow 10 

Osaka 11 

Calcutta 12 

INCREASE   IN   POPULATION   OF   OUR   GREAT   CITIES- 
NATIONAL   CENSUS 


POPULATION 


CITY 

1920 

1910 

1900 

New  York 

5,620  048 

4  766  883 

3  437  902 

Chicago    

2,701,705 

2,185,283 

1,698,575 

Philadelphia            .        ... 

1,823,779 

1  549  008 

1  293  697 

Detroit 

993  678 

465  766 

285  704 

Cleveland    

796,841 

560,663 

381  768 

St  Louis 

772  897 

687  029 

575  238 

Boston  

748,060 

670,585 

560  892 

Baltimore        ... 

733  826 

558  485 

508  957 

Pittsburgh 

588  343 

533  905 

321  616 

Los  Angeles  

576,673 

319,198 

102  479 

Buffalo 

506  775 

423  715 

352  387 

San  Francisco    .... 

506,676 

416,912 

342,782 

Milwaukee 

457  147 

373,857 

285  315 

Washington,  D.  C  
Newark    
Cincinnati  

437,571 
414,524 
401,247 

331,069 
347,469 
363,591 

278,718 
246,070 
325,902 

New  Orleans          .    .    . 

387,219 

339,075 

287,104 

300 


REFERENCE   TABLES  301 

THE  FOREIGN-BORN  POPULATION  OF  OUR  GREAT  CITIES 


CITY 

LEADING  COUNTRIES  OF 
BIRTH  OF  FOREIGN-BORN 
POPULATION  —  1920 

First 

Second 

Baltimore  .    .    

Russia 
Ireland 
Poland 
Poland 
Germany 
Poland 
Canada 
Italy 
Mexico 
Germany 
Sweden 
Italy 
Russia 
Italy 
Russia 
Poland 
Germany 
Italy 
Russia 

Germany 
Canada 
Germany 
Germany 
Russia 
Hungary 
Poland 
Ireland 
Canada 
Poland 
Norway 
Germany 
Italy 
Russia 
Ireland 
Germany 
Russia 
Germany 
Ireland 

Boston    

Buffalo    

Chicago  

Cincinnati  

Cleveland  

Detroit   

Jersey  City        

Los  Angeles   

Milwaukee     

Minneapolis              

New  Orleans  .    .    '.    
New  York             

Newark          

Philadelphia  
Pittsburgh             .    .           .    . 

St.  Louis 

San  Francisco 

Washington   

SHORTEST  RAILWAY  TRAVEL  — DISTANCE  FROM 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

San  Francisco  .........  3182  miles 

New  Orleans 1344  miles 

St  Louis 1059  miles 

Chicago 908  miles 

Detroit 690  miles 

Cleveland 576  miles 

Pittsburgh 441  miles 


302       GREAT  CITIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

Buffalo 439  miles 

Boston 235  miles 

Washington,  D.C.       .......  226  miles 

Baltimore     . 186  miles 

Philadelphia 92  miles 

SHORTEST  RAILWAY  TRAVEL  — DISTANCE  FROM 
CHICAGO 

San  Francisco 2274  miles 

Boston 1021  miles 

New  Orleans 923  miles 

New  York 908  miles 

Philadelphia 818  miles 

Baltimore 797  miles 

Washington,  D.  C 787  miles 

Buffalo 523  miles 

Pittsburgh 468  miles 

Cleveland 339  miles 

St.  Louis 286  miles 

Detroit 272  miles 

TO  WHOM  WE  SELL  THE  MOST 
THE  AMOUNT  FOR  YEAR  ENDING  JUNE  30,  1921 

Great  Britain  (The  United  Kingdom) .    .     $1,326,377,917 

Canada 789,051,031 

France 432,567,397 

Cuba •  .    .    .    .  403,285,861 

Germany 381,771,609 

Italy 302,140,168 

Mexico 267,209,366 

Netherlands 250,830,859 

Argentina 200,890,985 

Japan 189,181,551 

Belgium 184,533,430 


REFERENCE   TABLES  303 

FROM   WHOM    WE   BUY   THE    MOST 

THE  AMOUNT  FOR  YEAR  ENDING  June  30,  1921 

Canada $529,355,180 

Cuba 420,399,940 

Great  Britain  (The  United  Kingdom)  .    .  327,786,474 

Japan 253,210,035 

Mexico 154,993,154 

France 149,851,756 

Brazil 147,520,940 

Dutch  East  Indies 141,663,676 

Argentina 124,299,424 

British  India 121,800,392 

China 113,193,507 


Southworth  &  Kramer  :  Great  Cities  of  the  United  States 


304 


INDEX 


Abbey,  Edwin  A.,  164 
Adams,  John,  84,  87 
Adams,  Samuel,  160 
Alameda,  240 
Allegheny,  200,  202 
Allegheny  River,  189,  190,  200 

Baldwin,  Matthias  W.,  71 
Baldwin  Locomotive  Works,  71 
Baltimore,  173-188 

railroad  center,  173 

harbor,  173 

industries,  173,  174 

exports,  173 

fire  of  1904,  175 

public  markets,  178 

settlement  of,  185 
Baltimore,  Lord,  186 
Barge  canal,  212 
Belleville,  134 
Berkeley,  240 
Bienville,  Governor,  245 
Blackstone,  William,  141 
Boston,  141-172 

capital  of  Massachusetts,  141 

settlement  of,  141 

divisions  of,  143 

harbor,  144 

trade  center,  155 

foreign  commerce,  157 

industries,  157 
Boston  Tea  Party,  84,  158 
Braddock,  191 
Bradford,  William,  73 
Brockton,  155 
Brooklyn,  11,  24,  28,  30 
Brooks,  Phillips,  163 
Bruceton,  196 
Buffalo,  207-226 

settlement  of,  207,  208 


named,  209 

Erie  Canal,  210 

lake  port,  211 

importance  of  location,  212 

trade  with  Canada,  212 

manufacturing  center,  213 

Niagara  power,  213,  216,  224- 

iron  industry,  214 

flour  mills,  216 

important    live-stock    market, 
217 

important  lumber  market,  217 

harbor,  221 

Buffalo  River,  207,  221 
Bulfinch,  Charles,  147 

Cadillac,   Antoine  de  la   Mothe. 

91 

Calumet  River,  56 
Cambridge,  152,  153,  167,  169 
Carnegie,  Andrew,  202 
Carnegie  Steel  Company,  193 
Centennial  Exhibition,  75 
Charles  River,  152 
Chicago,  41-66,  198 

fire  of  1871,  41 

settlement  of,  43 

harbor,  45,  56,  57 

becomes  a  city,  46 

important  railroad  center,  54 

greatest  lake  port,  54 

grain  market,  55 

steel  industry,  56 

largest  lumber  market,  57 

exports,  57 

center  of  packing  industry,  61 

Pullman,  62 

Chicago  drainage  and  ship  canal, 
54 


305 


306       GREAT   CITIES   OF   THE   UNITED   STATES 


Chicago  River,  41,  43,  4,5,  53,  54, 

Civil  War,  247 

Cleaveland,  General  Moses,  107 

Cleveland,  107-124,  198 
settlement  of,  107 
harbor,  111 
becomes  a  city,  112 
industries,  112,  113,  118 
importance  of  location,  118 
manufacturing  center,  118 
largest  ore  market  in  the  world, 

118 

center  of  shipbuilding,  118 
important  lake  port,  123 

Cleveland,  Grover,  224 

Clinton,  De  Witt,  209 

Coal.  56,  70,  112,  136,  190,  193, 
213,  214,  215,  257 

Coal  mines,  193 

Commerce,  foreign,  35,  57,   157, 
231,  259 

Cotton,  257,  258,  261 

Croton  River,  18 

Custis,  Martha,  295 

Cuyahoga  River,   107,   108,   110, 
111,  115 

Declaration  of  Independence,   8, 

85 

Delaware  River,  67,  68,  69 
de  Portola,  Don  Gasper,  227 
Des  Plaines  River,  53 
Detroit,  89-106,  109 

leading  port  on  Canadian  shore, 
89,  99 

founded,  91 

early  history,  91 

growth,  92 

trade  center,  94 

harbor,  95 

shipbuilding  industry,  95 

becomes  industrial  city,  96 

center  of  automobile  trade,  96 

industries,  97 

immense  wholesale  trade,  98 

railroad  center,  100 
Detroit  River,  91,  100,  105 
District  of  Columbia,   267,   288, 
289 


Doan,  Nathaniel.  109 

Dutch  West  India  Company,  5 

East  River,  27,  36 

East  St.  Louis,  134 

Erie  Canal,  9,  93,  209,  210,  212 

Exports,  value  of,  302 

Fall  River,  157 

Farragut,  David,  248 

Fillmore,  Millard,  224 

Fish  industry,  157,  239 

Fitch,  John,  72 

Fort  Dearborn,  44 

Fort  McHenry,  187 

Fort  Myer,  295 

Fort  Pitt,  189 

Foreign-born  population,  301 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  73,  84 

French  and  Indian  War,  91.  189, 

245 
Fulton,  Robert,  72 

Girard,  Stephen,  79 
Gold,  227 

Golden  Gate,  231,  241 
Grain  industry,  55,  138 
Granite  City,  134 
Gunpowder  River,  181 

Hale,  Edward  Everett,  166 

Half  Moon,  3 

Hancock,  John,  160 

Homestead,  191 

Hudson,  Henry,  4 

Hudson  River,  4,  30,  35,  36,  207, 

209,  210 
Hull,  General  William,  92 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  47 
Illinois  River,  47,  53,  129 
Imports,  value  of,  303 
Increase  in  population  of  our  great 

cities,  300 
Iron  industry,  189,  190,  214,  233 

Jackson,  Andrew,  246 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  125 


INDEX 


307 


Key,  Francis  Scott,  187 
Kingsbury,  James,  108 
Kinzie,  John,  43 

Lackawanna  Iron  and  Steel  Com 
pany,  215 

Largest  cities  in  the  world,  300 

Lawrence,  121 

Lee,  Robert  E.,  295 

Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  126 

Louisiana  Purchase,  125,  245 

Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition, 
132 

Lowell,  157 

Lumber,  57,  136,  217,  257 

Lynn,  155 

Madison,  134 
Manhattan,  4,  11 
McCall  Ferry  dam,  181 
McKeesport,  191 
McKinley,  William,  224 
Mexican  War,  227 
Mints,  81,  82,  237 
Minuit,  Peter,  5 

Mississippi  River,  47,    125,    127, 
132,  133,  189,  245,  248,  249 
Missouri  River,  126,  129 
Mohawk  River,  207,  209 
Monongahela  River,  189,  190,  200 
Morris,  Robert,  75 
Mt.  Vernon,  267,  295 

Natural  gas,  121,  199,  203,  213 

New  Amsterdam,  6,  14 

New  Bedford,  157 

New  Orleans,  189,  245-264 
early  history,  245 
in  the  War  of  1812,  246 
in  the  Civil  War,  247 
building  the  city,  249 
the  French  quarter,  251,  252 
the  American  quarter,  251,  255 
important  lumber  market,  257 
important  cotton  market,  258, 

261 

Gulf  port,  261 
second  export  port  in  America, 

261 
exports,  261 


important  sugar  market,   257> 
261 

Mardi  Gras,  263 
New  York,  3-40 

settlement  of,  4 

surrendered  to  English,  7 

named,  8 

capital  city,  9 

harbor,  9,  36 

becomes  Greater  New  York,  11 

boroughs,  11 

nation's  chief  market  place,  32 

imports,  32 

exports,  32 

nation's  greatest  workshop,  32 

industries,  32 
Niagara  Falls,  213,  224 
Niagara  River,  90,  91,  209,  212, 
219,  224 

Oakland,  240 

Ohio  Canal,  110 

Ohio  River,   107,   109,   110,   129, 

189,  190 
Ore,  56,  112,  214 

Packing  industry,  59,  61,  137,  217, 

233 

Panama  Canal,  233,  242 
Panama-Pacific  International  Ex 
position,  242 

Pan-American  Exposition,  224 
Patapsco  River,  186 
Penn,  William,  67,  74,  75,  76 
Perry,  Oliver  Hazard,  92 
Petroleum,  198,  213,  257 
Philadelphia,  67-88,  185 

settlement  of,  67 

manufacturing  city,  69 

commercial  center,  70 

industries,  70 

United  States  mint,  81 

Continental  Congress,  84,  85 

Declaration    of    Independence 
signed  at,  85 

capital  of  the  nation,  87 
Pitt,  William,  189 
Pittsburgh,  118,  189-206 

workshop  of  the  world,  189 

named,  189 


308       GREAT   CITIES   OF   THE  UNITED    STATES 


trade  center,  190 

manufacturing  city,  190 

center  of  steel  industry,  191 

industries,  191 

Pittsburgh  district,  191 

mines,  193,  195 

petroleum,  198 

natural  gas,  199 
Pontiac's  conspiracy,  92 
Population  of  our  great  cities,  300 
Potomac  River,  267,  272,  292 
Pullman,  62 
Puritans,  141 

Quakers,  67 

Railroads,  9,  49,  58,  70,  100,  112, 
120,  129,  146,  211,  213,  238 

Pennsylvania,  30,  120 

New  York  Central,  32,  120,  146 

Michigan  Southern,  49 

Michigan  Central,  49,  100 

Missouri  Pacific,  129 

Boston  &  Albany,  146 

Boston  &  Maine,  146 

New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hart 
ford,  146 

Nickel  Plate,  120 

Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago 
&  St.  Louis,  120 

Erie  Railroad,  120 

Baltimore  &  Ohio,  120 

Wheeling  &  Lake  Erie,  120 

Southern  Pacific,  238 

Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe, 
239 

Union  Pacific,  239 

Western  Pacific,  239 
Revere,  Paul,  160 
Revolution,  War  of  the,  8,  75,  92, 

147,  148,  155,  158,  207,  266 
Richmond,  240 
Rogers,  Major  Robert,  91,  93 
Roosevelt,  Theodore,  224 
Ross,  Betsy,  86 

Sacramento  River,  230 
St.  Gaudens,  149,  163 
St.  Lawrence  River,  90 
St.  Louis,  125-140 


frontier  village,  125 

trade  center,  129 

railroad  center,  130 

favorable  location,  134 

industries,  136 

distributing  center,  138 

fur,  grain,  and  live-stock  mar 
ket,  138,  139 
San  Francisco,  227-244 

early  history,  227 

growth  of,  227,  228 

"child  of  the  mines,"  228 

San  Francisco  Bay,  230 

trade  center,  231 

exports,  231 

imports,  231 

industries,  233 

United  States  mint,  237 

leading  salmon  port,  239 
San  Joaquin  River,  230 
Sargent,  John  S.,  164 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  90 
Saur,  Christopher,  73 
Schuylkill  River,  68,  75 
Scioto  River,  110 
Shaw,  Colonel,  149 
Shortest     railway     routes     from 

Chicago,  302 
Shortest  railway  routes  from  New 

York,  301 
Silver,  228 

Standard  Oil  Company,  113 
Steel,  56,  71,  191,  198 
Straits  of  Mackinac,  90 
Stuyvesant,  Peter,  6 
Sugar,  32,  257,  261 
Susquehanna  River,  181 

Thevis,  Father,  255 
Tonawanda,  219 
Touro,  Judah,  257 
Trumbull,  John,  275 

Union  Stockyards,  59 
University  City,  132 

Venice,  134 

War  of  1812,  44,  92,  209,  246,  268 
Washington,  102,  265-299 


INDEX 


309 


the  capital  city,  265 

location,  265 

story  of,  266 

District  of  Columbia,  267,  288, 
289 

plan  of  the  city,  268 

capitol,  272 

House  of  Representatives,  277, 
289 

Supreme  Court,  279 

Senate,  279,  289 

Library  of  Congress,  280 

White  House,  282 

National  Treasury,  284,  286 

Bureau  of  Engraving  and  Print 
ing,  285 


Washington  Monument,  291 
Post  Office  Department,  294 
Arlington  National  Cemetery, 

295 
Washington,   George,   8,   84,   87. 

155,  189,  267,  282,  295 
Westinghouse,  George,  203 
Westinghouse  Electric  Companv 

203 

Winne,  Cornelius,  207,  208 
Winthrop,  John,  141 
Woodward,  Augustus  B.,  102 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  63 

York,  Duke  of,  7 


W.  B.  C. 


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